


All I Want For Hexmas Is You

by ChaoticMasterpiece



Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bad Parents Alador Blight and Odalia Blight, Bisexual Luz Noceda, Christmas, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, First fanfic in years so we'll see how well this goes, Fluff and Angst, Hexmas, Just let these poor gay babies enjoy the holiday together, Krampus is the Demon Realm equivalent of Santa because it makes too much sense, Lesbian Amity Blight, Luz knows the pain of a family member missing the holiday due to work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:27:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 36,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28332375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaoticMasterpiece/pseuds/ChaoticMasterpiece
Summary: The Hexmas season is upon the Boiling Isles, but not everyone's in the holiday spirit. Amity is feeling crushed by the extreme expectations of her parents as they prepare for their annual holiday party, while Luz is being plagued by painful memories as the realization that she and her mom won't be spending the holiday together sinks in. With some help from those who deeply care for them, can they navigate the blizzard of miscommunication, parental problems, and confusing feelings to give one another the best Hexmas ever?
Relationships: Amity Blight/Luz Noceda
Comments: 19
Kudos: 148
Collections: Good Lumity Fics





	1. It's the Most Wonderful(?) Time of the Year

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, so this is my first fic on AO3, though it's not the first time I've had the courage to write and publish something. About 12 years ago to the day I published a Christmas themed oneshot for a fandom I've long since fallen out of over on FF.net, where it's either buried deep in the bowels of that site now or been wiped by whatever purging they've been doing to it that's since driven me away. The Owl House is the first fandom I've become part of in a long time that's given me enough of a spark to try and get back into this, so if I seem a little rusty, I apologize in advance.
> 
> I'd like to give a huge thank you to [Smoking_Gear](/users/Smoking_Gear/) for helping me essentially take the same base idea from my old oneshot and figure out what course I wanted to take with it to produce this story, which became far more in-depth than that old fic if the fact that this is going to be multi-chaptered is any indication. Also, a huge thank you to my own new found family in The Good Witch Society Discord server for not only taking me in with open arms, but also making sure I didn't drive myself mad when my original plan for this fell apart. I had originally planned to have this essentially finished and completely posted by Christmas, but my work schedule ended up getting in the way. If it wasn't for them talking me into accepting that maybe people will read this even after Christmas has passed , I'd have tried to get this whole thing done and published in one sitting at the cost of much-needed sleep, which would've been a horrible idea.
> 
> I hope anyone reading this enjoys, and I hope you all had a great holiday!

The sun had risen on a brand new day on the Boiling Isles, carrying with it a chill in the air as snow slowly danced toward the ground and covered every inch of the landscape in a blanket of white. It was nowhere close to being as heavy as you'd find on The Knee, given its elevation out of the Boiling Sea compared to the rest of the massive corpse that composed this world of witches and demons, but that meant it was a comfortable winter setting that any human used to blizzards and the fear of frostbite would greatly appreciate.

Luz was more than happy to trade the kind of winter weather she'd grown up with for this sight that greeted her from her bedroom window.

If she had a choice, Luz would admit to herself how easy it would be to simply get lost in this sight for hours on end, perhaps even sketching it out so she'd never forget about the latest in a growing list of gorgeous visuals that were slowly becoming the norm with each passing day here. There was truly no end to the amazement that the Demon Realm had to offer to the young human, even after it had already far exceeded her wildest thoughts.

Unfortunately, the alarm blaring from her phone reminded her that today was a school day, forcing her away from the window and into the routine of getting changed and organized for the day ahead, a smile forming as she pondered what magical knowledge would greet her today.

'It's funny,' she thought to herself as she finished cramming her books into her backpack, 'back home, this would be around the time where I and every other kid would be begging for school to be over and winter break to be upon us.'

Luz felt her body tense up as that thought flickered through her mind, her eyes slowly turning towards the framed photo resting beside her sleeping bag. She knew deep down that as much as she loved everything about this world, it wasn't where she was originally supposed to be. Her mom had been expecting her to come home from summer camp months ago, and Luz could only speculate as to what was going on with her now that there was no sign of her daughter returning to her anytime soon. With the portal long destroyed, she'd lost any access to wifi that had been crucial in staying in touch with her, but that only begged the question: even if they could still text one another, what would Luz even say about the fact that she never returned from camp? Would her mom even believe a word she said about where she'd really been all this time?

A loud crash from downstairs snapped her out of her thoughts and had her silently thanking the Titan for the interruption that would get her back on track for the day.

“King, I told you to be careful! That box has a lot of fragile things Lily and I would like to see remain intact!”

“Perhaps entrusting the King of Demons with something so valuable to you was a mistake, mortal!”

The sound of the familiar playful banter had a smile back on Luz's face as she finished heading downstairs, gasping in awe and wonder at the transformed state of the living room that greeted her. Various ornaments and assorted festive knick-knacks now adorned the walls, including what Luz assumed was an illusion spell that gave a more festive appearance to the wanted posters that still stood proudly behind the couch. Different colored lights were strung along the ceiling, and plenty of boxes that contained countless other things Luz had never seen before consumed the floor space. Eda and King were locked in a staredown as the former floated on her staff to string up even more lights, while Lilith was tucked away in a corner trying to ignore them as she focused on setting up what looked like a large pine tree, only with bark as black as night and blood red needles that would be far more unsettling if it could somehow come to life on top of everything.

What's going on in here?” Luz asked as she took it all in, immediately drawing everyone's attention as they could practically feel the impending joy and wonder that was waiting to be unleashed the moment something new about the Isles was presented to her.

“Morning kid!” Eda called as she hopped down from her staff, taking a moment to remove Owlbert from it so he could resume her light-stringing duties. “Lily and I were just getting this placed fixed up since it's almost Hexmas. Since we're together again and haven't celebrated in an eternity, it kind of felt right doing something we used to love when we were kids.”

“Hard to believe you'd be excited when we both know you're definitely not getting any presents,” Lilith remarked with a grin toward her sister, though it quickly faded as guilt overtook her. “Not that I'm in any better position after all that's happened.”

“Oh come on Lily, we've talked about the whole 'beating yourself up' thing! Yeah, you cursed me and then put off fixing it for years because you bought into all of Emperor Bonehead's lies, but that's no reason to kill the holiday spirit.”

Lilith could only let out a sigh in response before giving Eda an apologetic look.

“You're right. It'll be nice to actually be able to celebrate it for a change, since the Emperor's Coven only ever celebrated anything that Belos himself deemed worth it.”

“Gee, I wonder why he wouldn't be celebrating,” Eda couldn't resist throwing out, earning a laugh out of both sisters.

“What's Hexmas?” Luz interjected, the familiar sparkle in her eyes as she was practically vibrating with anticipation to learn all about whatever new thing this world had to offer now.

“Well,” Eda began, “Hexmas is a special holiday that pretty much serves to tell you whether you've been good or bad throughout the year, even if some of us prefer to take pride in being a bad girl.” She couldn't resist posing to try and punctuate her statement, earning an eye roll from Lilith as she moved to stand beside her sister while taking over the explanation.

“Every year, an ancient and powerful demon known only as Krampus keeps watch on everyone from the shadows of the Isles. Nobody knows how he does it, only that he sees all and judges your every action.”

“Not to mention he breaks into your house to leave you offerings!” King chimed in from the box he'd started digging into, having apparently started trying to decorate the tree 'his way' already.

“Not exactly offerings,” Lilith corrected, “but they are gift-wrapped boxes. According to legend, if you've been good most of the year, he will gift you with something your heart truly desires above all else, no matter what it is.”

“And if you've been naughty,” Eda added, sounding far prouder than she probably should have about this, “then the gift contains a powerful hex as a sign to change your ways for the new year. The worse you've been, the more powerful the hex!”

“Woah...” Luz processed everything that she'd heard, the familiarity of it all not being lost on her which only made her grin wider. “That sounds just like a holiday we have in the human realm called Christmas! Except instead of Krampus, even though I think some places have something kind of like him, we have a jolly old man named Santa that brings gifts to those who've been nice and leaves coal for anyone naughty. But Christmas is always the best-”

Luz slowly trailed off as something seemed to flicker through her mind, and almost immediately her smile vanished and her eyes moved to stare at the floor. Eda and Lilith exchanged looks at the sudden emotional whiplash Luz was displaying; they both knew anything regarding the human realm was a sensitive topic in the wake of the portal being destroyed during her battle with Belos, but even then, Luz never looked as deflated as she did right now.

“Everything alright, kiddo?” Eda carefully asked, gently putting a hand on Luz's shoulder to help comfort her. Luz seemed to suddenly snap out of it, though the smile she gave her mentor was painfully forced.

“I'm fine Eda,” she replied.

“There!” King suddenly yelled out, drawing all eyes to him as he had somehow managed to climb the tree to top it with what looked like a hand puppet in his image holding its arms out to try and imitate the shape of a star. “Now this tree shall serve as a perfect Hexmas monument to my glorious reign of terror!”

“I'd rather let myself be captured by the Emperor again before I let THAT stand atop our Hexmas tree,” Eda declared as she and Lilith quickly moved to remove the decoration, only for King to desperately try to fight them off from the high ground he held in order to protect his 'star' at all costs.

As much as Luz normally enjoyed this level of chaos that brought so much life into the Owl House, she was a little thankful for King's timely interruption giving her an opening to slip out the door and begin her trek to Hexside.

Unfortunately, not even the usual mystique of the magic school and everything it had to offer for the Isles' only resident human witch could take her mind off this approaching holiday that warranted an empty feeling in her gut as opposed to the overwhelming joy everyone would expect her to show.

“Why did the Boiling Isles actually have to have their own version of Navidad?” she asked no one in particular with a sigh, quietly praying that the usual hustle and bustle of another day learning magic would take her mind off the topic.

* * *

Lunchtime had rolled around, and Luz couldn't have been more grateful. Empty stomach aside, considering she'd skipped breakfast due to all the commotion from Eda, Lilith, and King, her morning classes seem to have done the trick as far as clearing her head, and she joined Willow and Gus at their table in the familiar high spirits that always made even a conversation with her friends feel like an event all its own.

She regaled her friends with her 'epic tale' of a mishap in her Potions class caused by Boscha trying to sabotage someone's work as a joke only for it to literally blow up in her face, which brought quite a smile to Willow's face considering how much of a bully the girl had continued to be. In return, Gus was more than happy to share the high marks he'd gotten on a particularly brutal Illusions test he'd taken recently and Willow had Luz on the edge of her seat as she recounted the surprisingly dangerous task of the Plant track students getting a greenhouse full of vicious sentient plants set to survive the approaching winter.

“Hey, sorry I'm late,” a voice gently called, interrupting Willow, though the witchling wasn't too bothered considering who it was that now sat down beside Luz.

“No worries Amity,” she replied, “I was just telling Luz and Gus about the chaos in getting the greenhouse winter-ready this morning.”

Luz found it hard to believe that months had passed since she'd done the seemingly impossible and not only befriended Amity Blight, but also helped her to start acting like the witch she truly wanted to be. Granted, a lot of her endeavors had to be kept on the down low so as not to make her parents suspicious enough to potentially cause another 'Willow incident,' but she was slowly being more public about who she preferred to hang out with in the wake of that fated Grudgby match against Boscha. Considering Willow's rising popularity since then and Luz's ability to seemingly befriend anyone who crossed her path, no one batted an eyelash when Amity strolled into the cafeteria one day and walked in the opposite direction from where she normally sat to join them for lunch.

That said, whatever deeper connection the two girls seemed to share caused Luz to immediately pick up on the fact that Amity didn't seem like she was having as good a day as the rest of their little group was.

“Everything alright Amity?” Luz asked, shooting Willow an apologetic glance for her story being interrupted a second time, but Willow shrugged it off considering Luz's observation had caused her to also notice her childhood friend seemed to be more tense than usual.

“I'm alright,” Amity finally said after a moment, letting out a sigh before she continued. “I'm just overwhelmed. Hexmas is just around the corner and our family is under a whole lot of stress with our holiday plans, as usual.”

Luz winced a bit, both at the mention of the holiday she'd been trying to forget about after learning of it before school and the inexplicable hatred she couldn't help but feel any time she got word of Amity suffering from the ridiculous burden that always seemed attached to the Blight name like a cinder block chained to the ankles of someone about to be thrown into a river in those shows about organized crime families.

She placed a comforting hand on Amity's shoulder to let her know she was there for her if she wanted to go into more detail, which sent a shock wave through Amity's body as she jumped, her face quickly going red before she did her best to calm down, seeming to relax a bit beneath the simple touch. Willow and Gus exchanged looks, seeming to have an unspoken conversation that somehow led to them believing Luz was still somewhat in the dark about the impending holiday. This gave Willow an idea, one that she quietly hoped would also serve as an open invitation to Amity to share with them what was really going on.

“So Luz, did Eda tell you about Hexmas?” she asked.

“She kind of filled me in this morning, but...” was Luz's response, and while Willow raised an eyebrow at her friend suddenly trailing off, Gus was full steam ahead on trying to fill in whatever gaps the Owl Lady might have missed.

“Hexmas is the best Luz!” he exclaimed. “My dad and I always spend the day watching old Hexmas movies and joking about how cheesy they are now. It's fun getting to hear his take on it since he's got TV experience and all as a reporter.”

“There's a lot of neat things the market always offers too around this time of year,” Willow added in an attempt to keep some positive energy flowing into this conversation, “and my dads always insist on trying to find the perfect tree to bring home, hoping to convince Krampus to leave us a few extra gifts under it. It hasn't worked yet, but it's the thought-”

“Can we PLEASE talk about something else!?”

All eyes at the table widened at the synchronized outburst.

Now, Amity snapping in such a manner was still fairly common, even if she was doing her best to drop such habits. Usually, if she ever spoke in that tone to her friends, it was either an accident or her way of putting her foot down on not wanting to share whatever was bothering her.

Luz, on the other hand... if Luz had ever had such an outburst, then none of them had ever seen it. Such an upset and aggressive tone simply wasn't who Luz was. Sure, she'd been pretty fed up with some of Boscha's bullying, the Grudgby situation being a notable example, and there was no doubt she was downright furious when she went on her 'one human army' crusade to rescue Eda from the Emperor. None of that had ever been directed at any of her friends though, or if she was putting her own foot down, it was never with the kind of tone that made your heart just stop beating in your chest.

Something about the both of them speaking in tandem would've probably been adorable under normal circumstances, but the way it was spoken had seemingly brought all of time itself to a grinding halt. It felt like the entire cafeteria had fallen into silence, though no one in their group actually wanted to check to see if that was the case or if it was just the suddenly tense atmosphere around the four of them. Luz's jaw had dropped as she stared at Amity replying in such a manner, but she was very much aware that they were all giving her that exact same look, perhaps with even more shock and fear considering who it had come from.

“...I'm suddenly not feeling hungry,” Luz finally said, so quietly she wasn't sure if anyone actually heard it, but she wasn't going to wait around to find out. “I think I actually need some fresh air.”

She quickly stood up, almost tripping over the bench in the process, but she quickly corrected herself before walking as fast as she could go without flat out running out of the cafeteria, dumping her tray of food in the garbage on her way out. Willow, Gus, and Amity just watched her go, too stunned to even process that she'd left until it was too late. Amity seemed to be the first to recover, her own grumpy mood virtually abandoned as her face was consumed with nothing but concern for Luz. Willow and Gus quickly followed suit, both looking guilty over having possibly pushed a little too far despite having only the best of intentions.

“So...” Amity hesitantly broke the silence. “Did Luz say anything about why she was upset?”

“She didn't show any sign that something was even bothering her, even before you joined us,” Willow replied. “Still, I think that was a clear sign she's as willing to talk about whatever it is as you are about what's bothering you.”

“All I know,” Gus chimed in with a look that might've looked more passable as determination if it wasn't for his younger age, “is that something's bugging our friend, and we need to find out what!”

Willow nods in agreement. Even though, deep down, she knows that trying to pry into something even Luz doesn't want to talk about probably isn't wise, the mere thought of Luz acting like anything other than the endless ball of light and joy she always was bothered her way too much.

“I'd really like to help,” Amity said after a moment, though Willow could see the 'but' coming from a mile away, given her tone. “But I have even less free time than I usually do these days, sadly.”

“Are your parents being unreasonable about your grades again since we're getting close to school being out for the holidays?” Willow asked, knowing somewhere in her mind that the only reason Amity would ever willingly turn down any chance to help fix whatever was bugging Luz would have to be the same two miserable souls that forced her to destroy their friendship all for the sake of something Amity was too young to rightfully even need to worry about at the time.

Willow was certain she had her answer when Amity stood up and suddenly said she needed to go before exiting the cafeteria in almost the exact same manner Luz had minutes prior.

The plant prodigy let out a huff at how quickly things had seemed to fall apart for reasons that, while unknown, certainly weren't good. This was one of those things that was going to weigh heavy on her mind the entire rest of the day, even if anything else that happened today was absolutely amazing.

“Well, that settles it!” Gus suddenly called, standing up and planting his foot on the bench as he struck some kind of pose that Luz no doubt taught him at some point, likely to show him how humans declared something in dramatic fashion. “Something's clearly wrong with our friends Willow, and I won't rest until we get to the bottom of it and get them both in the Hexmas spirit!”

“I don't know if I really want to pry after all of that Gus,” she reluctantly admitted.

“Come on Willow, you know that Luz would totally dive in without a second thought if it meant making any of us feel better!”

Willow had to bite her lip to keep from pointing out how rude it was to probe like that, even if she had to admit that Gus had a point. After all, if it hadn't been for Luz doing exactly that, despite things getting far more out of hand than I think anyone actually intended, then she and Amity might have never started repairing their own relationship.

“Alright,” Willow said with a sigh, a smile slowly creeping its way onto her face. “Luz and Amity could definitely use some cheering up, so because of that, I'm in.”

* * *

If Amity could be painfully honest with herself and the world as a whole for a moment, she wished she was going anywhere else but home right now.

As she slowly made her way to the front gates that seemed to immediately creek open after noticing her presence, she was already thinking of all the things she was expecting to hear as soon as she was beyond the front door. Best case scenario: her parents were too wrapped up in whatever they were doing that they wouldn't notice she was home yet, though that would only buy her time more than anything else. She knew she would never be that lucky, though; her mother wasn't an Oracle Track prodigy for nothing.

As she reached the front door, her hand froze once it reached the knob. There was an almost painful throbbing of her heart, begging her to just not cross this threshold and go somewhere else, and she knew exactly where it wanted her to go. She truly would've preferred to just turn around and start making the trek through the woods to seek out the warmth and comfort of the Owl House, but she regretfully had to banish the thought from her head and force herself to open the door.

If she ever wanted to try and test her luck at rebelling against her parents for the sake of everything that she held dear in her life now, this was the absolute worst time to ever even consider the idea.

“Amity, welcome home dear,” a cold and controlling voice almost immediately met her ears once she was inside.

Odalia Blight was standing front and center, hands folded in front of her to try and give off the image that she was being as welcoming as possible, even though Amity knew full well it was all an act. It was almost as though she had been waiting for her daughter to return home, and a familiar knot began to form in her stomach as this could mean any number of things. For as much effort as she always put into keeping her children on whatever track she deemed the best course of action in the name of their family and nothing else, she was especially overbearing about it around Hexmas.

“Good afternoon mother,” Amity replied, her own tone well-practiced so as not to raise any sort of suspicion in the hope that whatever was to follow wouldn't be as bad as she was fearing deep down.

The key to surviving any verbal encounter with the Blight matriarch was to never show even the slightest bit of fear, hesitation, or any other emotion for that matter.

“I would hope that with Hexside approaching its holiday break that your academics are still in order?” she questioned, her tone obviously making it clear she was fishing for anything she could use in response to a lie.

“Of course mother,” Amity told her confidently, considering there was nothing to lie about on that front. “I've gotten perfect scores on the exams I've already taken, and I will make sure the result is the same on the few I still need to take.”

Her mother simply nodded in acknowledgment before her mouth started to open, but whatever her next probing question was going to be died in her throat as a loud crash was heard coming from one of the adjacent rooms.

“I TOLD YOU THAT THESE GLASSES WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE FOR THIS PARTY! NOW RETRIEVE THE CORRECT ONES AND CLEAN THIS MESS UP!”

Amity could feel herself tense up despite Odalia never flinching, though she did show some concern as she turned to face her husband when he practically stormed into the foyer following his outburst, muttering something about incompetence under his breath as he had his face in his hand in frustration.

“Perhaps you should go to your study and relax for a bit dear,” she says in the best sickeningly sweet voice she's capable of as she rested a hand on his shoulder. “I can oversee the preparations for a little while.”

“That would be lovely Odalia,” Alador replied before turning and heading down the hall, talking to himself about how much their staff drove them up a wall around this time of year for no reason and not even acknowledging that Amity was home.

It always bothered Amity how little her father seemed to care about anything that wasn't either something that threatened his family's social standing even the tiniest bit or some sort of personal project or study that enraptured him to the point where he'd be locked in his study for days if it wasn't for his wife, but that man could be horrifically scary if you dared to push too far. It made him seem far more volatile than Odalia, but that just made both of them equally terrifying to try and stand your ground against.

Amity knew this firsthand, trying not to wince as the memories of the birthday that ended with her being forced to sever all ties with Willow flickered through her mind.

“Amity,” she snapped back to attention as her mother called for her, having already wrapped up whatever holiday prep had briefly distracted her following Alador throwing in the towel on that for the night. “Where are your siblings?”

Almost immediately, Amity's stomach felt like it was suddenly housing a block of solid lead as the realization set in that she had come home alone. She'd barely seen Edric or Emira since they arrived at school that morning, and if she had to hazard a guess, they were likely busy setting up a ton of pranks around Hexside to try and tide themselves over. They'd learned the hard way in past years that attempting to pull these kinds of stunts during the Blights' annual holiday party would invoke the full wrath of their parents for such behavior, so they'd quietly started trying to get it all out of their system well beforehand to be on the safe side.

“I- I'm afraid I don't know-” Amity had barely managed to stutter out, but she got no farther.

“Don't stutter dear, you know you should always be confident in what you have to say,” Odalia reprimanded before returning to the other issue at hand. “And you know full well we expect our children to arrive and depart from Hexside together as an example of the kind of unity everyone in the Isles should strive for at this time of year.”

“Yes mother,” was all Amity could say, quietly begging for this to end as she started to feel sick at being talked down to over something she didn't think was even supposed to be her problem to begin with.

“I expect you to take better care in knowing where they are going forward,” Odalia sternly warned, “and I will be giving them a thorough talking to about this when they finally decide to come home. Blights do not show weakness, and anything less than a united appearance from the three of you until after the holidays is unacceptable. Am I clear Amity?”

“Yes mother.”

“Then you are dismissed.”

With that, Odalia turned her attention to whatever staff was in the other room still trying to recover from her husband's outrage, leaving Amity to quickly make her way up the stairs and towards her room. She didn't care that she slammed the door upon entering, even if it would likely earn her another stern warning from her mother later if she'd caught it. She barely even realized she'd thrown her bag off and practically hurled her body onto the bed to muffle her incomprehensible yelling with her pillow over the unfairness of it all until she realized she'd buried her face so far in that she needed to breathe.

“Why do I have to be torn into just because Ed and Em have their own lives to live?” she asked no one in particular once she'd calmed down somewhat. “They can't really expect me to just keep those two on a leash until Hexmas, right?”

It was a hollow question and that just made it worse, and all she could do was lay back and sigh as she stared at her ceiling. No matter how good the twins had gotten at skirting around their parents' rules and expectations, not even they could avoid the demand for absolute perfection that was expected of them more than ever around this time of the year.

That alone was just one of a growing list of reasons why she would give anything to avoid the Blight Hexmas party altogether, even spending the day at the Owl House with Luz.

“Luz...” Amity allowed her crush's name to wistfully leave her lips as she managed to shift her thoughts to something else that was bothering her far more than her mother's words. She thought back to how Luz had reacted at lunch, going from being immediately concerned about her problems and wanting to help to snapping and avoiding having to talk about it entirely.

Amity knew the tactic all too well, and that just made her worry even more.

Seeing the girl she had slowly developed an overwhelming crush on acting even slightly different than the bubbly ray of sunshine that always warmed Amity's otherwise icy cold world tore at her heart. She knew what she'd told Willow and Gus at lunch, but the more she thought about it, the more she managed to talk herself into trying to resolve whatever had Luz acting this way, no matter what it took.

If that meant having to drag the twins along just to get their mom off everyone's backs, then she'd take whatever excuse would get them out of this proverbial prison and anywhere close to Luz Noceda.

Unbeknownst to Amity, she wasn't the only one plotting to resolve the issues of someone special to her no matter what it took.

After managing to somehow make it through the rest of the day, even if it meant trying to avoid her friends after her outburst at lunch, Luz had made it back to the Owl House. Slipping past Hooty without needing to say a word had been simple enough since he seemed too busy trying to catch snowflakes on his tongue, but the other inhabitants of the house virtually stopped their continued holiday decorating efforts the moment they caught her presence.

“Hey kiddo,” Eda began, Luz wincing a bit at the clearly concerned tone her mentor's voice carried. “Did school go alright after... whatever happened this morning?”

“Sure did Eda,” Luz replied in a voice that obviously carried way too much fake cheer and even she knew it. “I have a TON of homework I need to take care of though, so I'm just going to go take care of that and leave you guys to your decorating.”

Lilith had started to say something, but Luz quickly managed to slip past them and up the stairs, tripping once in a way that actually helped add some credibility to her claim as she wasn't exactly lying about the homework weighing her bag down. Once she was up the stairs and out of sight, everyone slowly returned to what they were doing as she quickly ducked into her room, letting out a sigh of relief.

As much as she loved her little found family, how do you even begin to explain to them how painful this time of year actually was to her?

Luz hated not being able to talk about what was bothering her, but even if she could find someone who understood her, there was no way they could actually help her. With no portal, there was no chance of her crossing back over to the human realm even for just one day so she could spend Christmas with her mami.

Of course, that was assuming her mami would even be there waiting for her on Christmas morning.

Luz found herself moving over to the window to just stare out at the isles as she took a seat on the ledge, her brain looking for anything to distract her from the issue at hand. Her gaze unconsciously started moving in the direction she knew Blight Manor resided, and she knew that somewhere inside that giant home was a girl who was letting something take away the holiday spirit she should have been feeling like every other witchling.

For some reason, the mere thought of Amity Blight not having a happy Hexmas for whatever reason was starting to reach 'Eda's been captured by the Emperor' levels of not sitting well with her, and that needed to change.

As both girls set about tackling the schoolwork they knew they needed to do in their respective rooms, there was never a moment where the other left their mind, and one thought rang out clearer than any other for the both of them.

'My problems don't matter right now. All that matters is making sure that she has the best Hexmas experience ever, no matter what.'


	2. Holiday Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sincerely apologize that it took me a whole week to get this next chapter out. Work was particularly brutal this week with New Year's and left me exhausted and drained of my desire to do much of anything. Still, I'm powering ahead with this story, and I'm determined to try and finish this even though Christmas has passed. Hopefully you guys are still enjoying the story, and I'll do my best to make sure the next chapter goes up much sooner than a week from now.

Normally, Luz had no problem with helping Eda sell her human items to the denizens of Bonesborough, providing her 'wisdom' on how they actually worked and generally doing her part to pay the rent Eda wasn't actually charging her for staying at the Owl House. Just being able to interact with so many different kinds of witches and demons and miscellaneous other creatures while seeing their reactions to objects that were so common in her realm was enough to make her day.

Today, her heart just wasn't in it, and part of the reason was probably what exactly Eda was trying to convince people to buy.

“Step right up and get your hexproof Hexmas gear!” she loudly proclaimed while ringing a bell in a manner that reminded Luz of a mall Santa. “It's worked for humans for thousands of years so you know it's guaranteed to get you out of your year of misdeeds!”

To her credit, Eda had managed to drum up a pretty good crowd as she exchanged things like Santa hats and stockings and various human tree ornaments for snails. Prying any information about Christmas out of Luz hadn't been easy for reasons that she still didn't feel comfortable sharing with the Owl Lady, but what little she had decided to part with was apparently enough to drive the narrative she spun to get a little more money before the year came to an end.

Luz, however, had her eyes glued to her notepad and seemed far too lost in her current project to pay even the tiniest bit of attention to her mentor.

She'd turned her current sheet into a chart and was trying to compare all the ways Christmas and Hexmas were similar in hopes that something lined up enough that she could use what she already knew to figure out the best way to cheer Amity up. Granted, it didn't exactly help that she had absolutely no idea what was bothering her friend to begin with, but she's never let that stop her from trying to make sure all 'her babies' weren't hurting, especially around what was supposed to be such a happy time of the year.

Yes, the irony in that statement wasn't lost on her, but this wasn't about her right now.

Hitting a brick wall in her efforts and silently cursing the fact that she'd let her Christmas issues keep her from really learning anything about Hexmas traditions, Luz realized that business had died down for a moment at the stand and glanced up from her seat on the ground to see Eda pulling some more Christmas objects out from her tent.

“Maybe I'll actually get rid of the rest of this today and can just relax until Hexmas,” she muttered to herself as she poured a whole box full of ornaments into a bowl.

“Eda, can I ask you something?”

Eda's attention snapped to Luz, surprise coating her features as she'd almost forgotten the human had even accompanied her today given how long she'd spent in her own head.

“Do witches give each other gifts for Hexmas?” Luz asked, and it was hard to miss the flicker of hope that laced her words.

Hope that almost immediately died when Eda couldn't resist breaking out into a hearty laugh that took her a minute to recover from, especially once she saw how quickly Luz's face dropped.

“Look kid, I won't sugarcoat it,” she began, “yes, technically there are some witches who will give a gift or two, but it's rarely without some kind of ulterior motive. Unless you're really good about breaking in and hiding it among whatever Krampus actually left for them, they're likely to ditch it the first chance they get. Can't say I blame them, considering anyone who usually does that is either trying to hex you or hoping a bunch of cheap trinkets gifted to strangers will get them onto the 'good witch' list at the very last second. Actually, I remember an old flame who tried to slip me a hex as an 'act of goodwill' or whatever one year...”

Eda slowly began to lose herself in reminiscing about how far this particular ex had gone to try and hex her for breaking up with them, but not even her usual love of backstories could keep Luz interested this time. Her gaze flickered back to her chart as she started to cross 'presents' off, but her hand hesitated in completing the gesture. Even if it wasn't exactly a common gesture, surely Amity trusted her enough to accept a present for Hexmas from her knowing there were no strings attached, right?

“Hey Luz!” a pair of voices suddenly called, and as Luz looked up and locked eyes with Willow and Gus, she quickly shelved her internal dispute and scrambled to her feet.

“Friends!” she practically jumped over the counter and pulled them both into a bone-crushing hug, which caused them to glance at one another in a mixture of confusion and comfort. For the moment, it seemed like Luz was back to normal, which both relieved them and also felt like it defeated the whole point of coming to find her, but they didn't mind so long as their friend was back in good spirits.

“Eda,” Luz called over to her mentor, snapping her out of her reflection on Hexmas' past. “Can I go spend time with Willow and Gus in the market? Pretty please?”

“Are you sure kid?” the Owl Lady questioned. “I mean, if you're that tired of trying to help witches protect themselves on Hexmas morning, we could always go back to the house. I know Hooty especially loves it when we try to decorate him-”

“I think I'll pass, but thanks, Eda!” Luz quickly called as she practically dragged her friends away from the stand, Willow and Gus both looking relieved at dodging that proverbial bullet. Eda watched them disappear into the crowd in a stunned silence before an amused smirk slowly found its way to her lips.

“Ah, I knew that might get her,” she mused to herself as she resumed restocking her 'human Hexmas' supplies. “I don't know what it is about this holiday that's eating away at her, but her friends are probably better at figuring that mushy emotional stuff out than I'll ever be.”

As Eda found herself right back to selling her human holiday wares, Luz and company were now walking side-by-side as the human looked around in fascination. Something about how things always seemed just a tiny bit different every day here never ceased to amaze her, and while a lot of stands she was familiar with seemed to be doing business as usual, a few new ones had popped up trying to make a few snails off of the Hexmas spirit that was slowly infecting the Isles.

“So Luz,” Willow began delicately, “how're you feeling?”

“Good,” came the quick reply, which immediately raised Willow's suspicions again as the faraway look in her friend's eye would've been hard to miss even if she didn't have her glasses.

“Glad to hear it!” Gus exclaimed. “By the way, I've been meaning to ask you: is it true that humans actually make canes out of candy around this time of year? Wouldn't that make your hand sticky trying to walk with it?”

Willow shot Gus a look that was practically screaming how obvious he was being, but Luz seemed like she'd zoned out again, quietly talking to herself about something that neither one of them could pick up on.

“Luz, if something's bothering you, you know you can talk with us, right? We're your friends and we want to help,” Willow stated, even putting a hand on her shoulder that still didn't seem to snap Luz out of her thoughts.

“Yeah,” Gus added, “especially since here there's no need to be afraid of some giant human breaking into your house and eating all your-”

He trailed off when Willow shot him the look again and could only shrug in response.

“What? I've had a few members of the H.A.S. asking me if I could help them out since Mattholomule clearly doesn't know anything about human Hexmas,” he pleaded.

“-no, that couldn't be it.” Their quiet back and forth was cut off as they started to tune in to Luz's quiet conversation with herself. “Amity's always at the top of her classes and more studying together can't improve where our Abomination grades are at right now...”

Hearing Amity's name escape Luz's mouth almost seemed to make something click in Willow's mind. She didn't know if it was a case of Luz trying to find something to distract herself from talking about her own problems, which had become more frequent ever since the portal was destroyed, or if she was aiming to do her usual thing of diving headfirst into blindly helping because one of her friends needed it, but Willow wasn't going to let this opportunity pass her by as she felt a change of tactics was in order.

“So Luz,” she started asking, “it sounds like you really want to help Amity out with whatever's got her more stressed out than usual.”

Luz finally managed to pull herself out of her own head, but a confused look wasn't quite what Willow was expecting to be met with.

“Why wouldn't I? She's one of my best friends, and friends are always there for one another during the holidays.”

Willow had to stop and simply blink, not that Luz caught it since she almost immediately slipped back into scrutinizing whatever options she could take to brighten Amity's Hexmas. Gus at least managed to have better luck with bringing her back to her senses before they caught up with the human, though despite being lost on whatever she was trying to get at, the young illusionist swore he could feel Willow mentally facepalming. That didn't stop him from resuming his efforts to try and pry for more Christmas facts, but once again Luz was so spaced out they practically had to start physically steering her through the throngs of witches and demons as they entered into one of the busier holiday sections of the market.

They were so focused on avoiding everyone immediately around them, however, that none of them were able to see what wasn't that far in front of them and slowly closing the distance.

“Doesn't it bother either of you that _I'm_ the one who got lectured all because the two of YOU were nowhere to be found?” Amity grilled her siblings, her face slowly starting to reach the level of red where forgetting to breathe and passing out was a likely possibility.

“Of course it bothers us!” Edric responded, throwing his arms out as if it would help prove his point. “Em and I both know how unfair that is to you, but sadly we all know how mom gets around this time of year.”

“Trust us when we say, though,” Emira added, “that whatever she tore into you for, we got it a whole lot worse when we got home.”

“You made the smart call putting that soundproof enchantment on your bedroom walls some time back sis,” Edric threw in, hints of hurt and guilt becoming more obvious in his voice, “because both mom AND dad spent, like, an hour yelling at us, and we swore dad was so angry his voice was practically rattling the whole house.”

As the twins told their side of the story, Amity's face went from being furious at them to extremely worried, having been far too lost in venting about how wrong it was that she be verbally beaten down just because of them that she'd completely forgotten they'd be walking right into a virtual gorenado themselves the moment they actually came back. Once that thought had finally settled in her brain, she could only spit out a frustrated sigh in response.

“Sorry,” she finally told them. “I didn't mean to get angry with you, especially when we've been trying to improve this whole 'sibling relationship' thing.”

“You've got nothing to apologize for Mittens,” Emira gave her sister a soft smile, “we understand. Mom and dad are always too hard on you year-round, and we've all lived through enough of these to know how overboard they go for the holidays trying to make a perfect impression.”

“You'd think they'd at least be a little more grateful, though,” Edric muttered. “If we're out practically pranking until it's all out of our system, then we won't 'embarrass' them by trying to do anything when it's actually party time.”

Amity knew their parents didn't see it that way, but as usual, they rarely cared about what their children truly wanted, especially if it opposed whatever THEY wanted them to be or do. They were only meant to be extensions of them and the family name, and no amount of trying to fight it was going to put them in any better position than that so long as they lived under that roof. The more she thought about it, the more she let an involuntary growl escape her throat as she tried to quell the rising anger of how much they all struggled to get by in this situation.

Of course, when you have two people who are too fixated on trying to sort out their thoughts on a collision course, the end result is inevitable.

Though, give their respective companions credit for at least trying to warn them before it happened.

Luz and company were barely free of the thick crowd they'd been wading through for the past few minutes before she and Amity ended up colliding into one another, hitting the ground in a mess of tangled limbs and pained groans. Amity was the first to snap out of her daze as she turned her mounting frustration towards whoever dared to try and plow her over.

“Watch it, you- oh! Luz!”

Luz finally managed to pull herself together, and the moment she realized exactly who she'd literally run into, a horrified look overtook her features.

“Amity! Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I was so deep in thought about something and I wasn't paying attention-”

“It's not your fault Luz, I'm the one who should've been paying more attention instead of being upset about something-”

The two of them continue going back and forth in their attempts to apologize to each other, especially as they keep cutting the other off to do so, as they slowly untangle themselves and help one another back to their feet. Edric and Emira slowly move around them to stand beside Willow and Gus as the four of them carefully watch the scene unfolding in front of them, easily picking out the obvious blush that's slowly overtaking Amity's face. Willow also swore she saw signs of a faint blush on Luz's cheeks as well, but against her skin tone, it was near impossible to know for sure.

“So...” Amity carefully began asking once they'd seemingly sorted out their apologies for colliding. “What was it you were thinking about?”

“Oh! Just something about the holiday, it's not that big of a deal!” Luz quickly tried to shrug off the issue, and before Amity could try to stop her from avoiding it she turned the tables. “I'm more interested in hearing about what's been bothering you.”

“It's... also not that big of a deal,” Amity managed to get out. “I hate seeing you be so... not you, Luz, and I want to-”

“You don't have to Amity, I'll be fine! Hexmas is more of your guys' holiday anyway, so if anyone deserves to be cheered up it's you!”

“You really don't have to do that Luz, it's OK.”

Again, the two continued the awkward back and forth, to the point where Ed and Em were about ready to suggest getting popcorn for the little forgotten group that was bearing witness to this. Poor Gus kind of looked lost over what was going on and Willow looked like she was on the verge of forcing herself between these two to get them back on track.

“Come on Amity, I'm sure that whatever it is, you could use the help of a friendly face.”

“I'm good Luz, really. I was, um... actually on my way to the library so I could look into something-”

“Well, what are we waiting for then? Group library trip to help Amity!”

Before any argument could be made, Luz had already grabbed Amity's hand, turning the poor witchling into a sputtering mess as the human dragged her towards the library at top speed. Everyone else just watched them run off in stunned silence before Willow and Gus turned to the twins just in time to catch Ed shrugging.

“To be fair, Amity was dragging the two of us to the library anyways, so the more the merrier, right?”

There seemed to be no argument to that logic as they quickly tried to catch up, which was quite the challenge considering how unnaturally focused Luz had become on getting to the library in order to help Amity. The reason why, however, almost seemed to become crystal clear in her mind, or at least she thought so anyway.

'Poor Amity... I've been so caught up in worrying about not being able to celebrate with my Mami I completely forgot that she wasn't exactly a nice person when we first met. She's probably stressed over not having done enough to change Krampus's mind before Hexmas. Well, as her friend and fearless champion, I'll do whatever it takes to get her off that 'bad witch' list or my name isn't Luz Noceda!'

Once she'd shaken off the panic she'd briefly fallen into at Luz holding her hand and dragging her along, Amity's mind also went into overdrive, believing she'd gathered enough pieces to draw her own conclusion and furthering her resolve to try and make this little research trip a fruitful one.

'Poor Luz... here I am, losing my mind over my family's Hexmas traditions, and this incredible girl who's given me so much has no way of doing whatever humans do for their human version of Hexmas. It's probably been eating her alive that she can't do anything she's so used to doing, and I'm going to fix that, no matter what it takes. You matter so much to me Luz, and I promise I'm going to make you feel right at home this Hexmas season.'

* * *

It should come as no surprise that, just like anything relating to humans, information about this 'Christmas' and how similar it truly is or isn't to Hexmas is either scarce or just plain sounds inaccurate even to a witchling.

Still, that wasn't going to deter Amity's hunt for knowledge.

Once the group had arrived at the library, Amity had managed to get some space from Luz – as much as that bugged her even if she had trouble admitting it – by being rather vague about what she was actually trying to research. Thankfully, Luz seemed so eager to help that she began searching through the shelves without questioning anything, not only saving Amity from being in a state of constant panic but also allowing her to keep her intentions a secret.

She just had a gut feeling that if she let slip what she was really looking for, then Luz might try to fake her happiness for the sake of making it seem like she was doing alright when she clearly wasn't.

Amity had done that far too often herself, and even if they had different reasons for doing it, she refused to let this incredibly special girl who had barreled into her life and practically saved her from herself suffer in silence all to try and fix something she sadly wasn't sure actually could be fixed.

At least she wasn't alone in this endeavor, as she'd let slip enough of her plan to their little entourage that they were willing to do their part. Willow had been 'helping' Luz while trying to keep her away from Amity to help maintain the secrecy while Gus and her siblings helped her try to find anything that would at least give her a dedicated place to start in trying to make Luz feel like this holiday was no different from the one she was used to, though Gus was definitely more diligent in his attempted aid given he had his own curiosities that needed to be resolved.

“Ugh, you would think somewhere in this library there'd be at least one book that has something useful!” Amity groaned as she shoved another book with definitely false information back into its place on the shelf. This was starting to feel hopeless, and the last thing Amity Blight was going to do if Luz's feelings depended on it was dive in without some sort of plan. After all, what if one of the most common Hexmas traditions was actually something sad or horrible or offensive in the human world?

“Amity! Guess what!?”

“Bwah!” Amity suddenly yelled as she turned to try another book and suddenly found Luz's face mere inches away from hers, causing her to stumble backward until she tripped and fell to the floor. A loud round of shushing from other library patrons only added to the embarrassment as Amity's face was consumed by the crimson color, but Luz was quick to help her back to her feet.

“Sorry, sorry!” Luz pleaded. “But guess what? The kids need someone to read them a few Hexmas stories, and I thought it'd be nice to help! We can read to them together and even do voices! Let's go!”

“L-Luz!” Amity tried to beg as Luz once again dragged her by the hand at top speed over the corner where she normally read to the children. As they passed by the others, Amity shot Willow a glare and got an apologetic look in return that clearly said 'I tried, but you know how she is.'

That said, once she and Luz are settled in, familiarity takes over, as this isn't the first time the two girls had tag-teamed these reading sessions, and even if Luz isn't as familiar with these particular stories, it doesn't stop her from acting out her parts with just as much enthusiasm as Amity does, to the point where it became hard to figure out whether they or the kids were having more fun with this. Willow, Gus, and the twins stood back far enough from the scene to not feel like they're intruding, but close enough that they can clearly see everything play out before their very eyes.

“That's probably the happiest I've seen her in days,” Edric suddenly remarks, and Emira sighs and nods with him.

“Wait,” Gus slowly says as a few gears start turning in his head, “Willow, why didn't we just ask Amity's siblings about what's been bothering her!”

Willow can only shake her head, appreciating that Gus realized the option was on the table but not wanting to try and bother them about it when whatever's been bothering her old friend was her issue to deal with and not theirs.

“Oh, that's an easy one,” Ed began. “The annual Blight family Hexmas party.”

“Also known as that big holiday celebration that everyone knows about but only the most elite of the elite are allowed into,” Em adds, not even bothering to hide the disgust in her voice at that.

“Ugh, I should've known that's what it was,” Willow groaned as she pulled off her glasses before gently rapping her knuckles against her forehead. “I remember all the way back before Amity was forced to cut ties with me how awful those were. I was never allowed in, but I remember Amity always complaining to me about it the next day.”

“Yeah... it's only gotten, like, a thousand times worse since then,” Edric lamented.

“As we all grew up, our parents' standards for exactly how we need to present ourselves going in have gotten more unreasonable,” Emira elaborated. “Heck, just yesterday Ed and I felt the verbal equivalent of being drowned in the Boiling Sea for not just coming home late, but not returning when Amity did.”

“She got off easier, but apparently mom still made her feel terrible for not taking the extra time to try and find us so we could all go home together.”

Hearing the twins talk about how their parents broke them down during this time of the year just because they didn't all come home together, even though they each have their own separate lives and schedules, had Willow on the brink of losing her temper, which also meant losing control of her magic. Thankfully, Gus was quick to see the signs and put a comforting hand on Willow's shoulder, which slowly snapped her out of it.

“Well,” Gus tried to inject something a little more positive into this conversation, “at least Luz doesn't have to worry about any of that parental pressure weighing her down, right?”

Willow was about to agree when something suddenly clicked in her brain after hearing that statement, and she started to realize how obvious it should've been. After all, Luz had practically jumped through hoops to avoid any sort of discussion about not being able to go back home, but especially if it had anything to do with...

“Her mother...” Willow slowly let slip, and all eyes suddenly turned to her. “Luz isn't just upset because she's not celebrating her realm's version of Hexmas, but because she's not going to be able to celebrate it with her mom.”

All eyes went wide as the realization began to set in. Naturally, by now every one of Luz's friends who were aware of what happened when the Emperor tried to petrify Eda was also in the loop about how she'd destroyed the portal, and the one topic, in particular, that was especially painful for her was knowing that she was supposed to be back in the human realm months ago and not being able to do so has no doubt led to her mother assuming the worst by now. Having found no way to re-create a portal to anywhere, there was nothing that anybody could really figure out to truly help their human friend cope with any of this.

That conversation slowly died as they all finally took notice of the kids trying to weave their way around them, and Luz and Amity weren't too far behind. They both at least looked like they were feeling better, but given what their friends had now figured out, it was a mystery as to how long that was going to last.

“Thanks for the suggestion Luz,” they heard Amity say as the girls rejoined the group. “I think we both needed that.”

“A little help goes a long way during the holidays,” Luz practically sang as she looked like she was trying and failing to keep herself from bouncing in place. “Speaking of which, maybe we could see if there's anything else we could help with while we're here?”

“Or,” Amity quickly cut in as she glanced over at the clock and took note of the time, “maybe we can go get some hot chocolate. Ed, Em, and I all know this really good hot chocolate vendor who always parks his cart not too far from here around this time every day until Hexmas.”

“And,” Edric added, “I know they've got a few options Luz can drink since someone,” he paused for a moment to cast an annoyed glare at his twin, “decided to expose my dairy allergy.”

Emira just shrugged and whistled innocently as Luz seemed to jump on board the hot chocolate train almost immediately, and just like that the group was leaving the library behind in search of this specific vendor. As they walked, Amity seemed to take on an approach to what Willow and Gus had tried earlier in probing Luz for information about Christmas, although Willow had to admit that Amity had a much better game plan by explaining the different Hexmas traditions in a way that left plenty of open invitation for Luz to let a few things slip.

The two of them being distracted trying to sort each other out in their own way was perfect because it allowed for a different kind of planning session to quietly take place a few steps behind them.

“So,” Willow began, “I'm kind of thinking the best thing to do would be to throw our own Hexmas party at the Owl House. I'm sure I can convince my dads to let me go once they know why we're doing it.”

“Same with my dad,” Gus added. “He might be a bit bummed out, but he might also have to do some Hexmas Day reporting as well so we'll take whatever time we actually can spend together.” He took a moment as he pondered something. “What about Eda though?”

“If it puts Luz back in good spirits, I'm pretty sure she'll be on board,” was Willow's reply, and Gus couldn't argue with that.

“I don't know if we'd be able to attend,” Emira solemnly pointed out. “With how meticulous our parents are with party planning and the fact they pretty much demand we just stand around and be trophies the whole time, if we can even get out of their sight for five seconds it'd be a miracle, let alone skip the whole party.”

“Can't you guys just ditch?” Gus questioned, knowing full well as a classmate of theirs how easily the two cut classes to set up pranks on people.

“Ignoring the fact that Mittens still has a hard time convincing herself to do anything against our parents' word,” Ed responded, “this is the kind of 'mandatory appearance' thing that would probably see them call for the Emperor's Coven to hunt us down and bring us home.”

Willow and Gus groaned, not needing to be told twice that leading the Emperor's Coven to the Owl House was a bad idea in any respect. Even if they already knew where it was and still attempted the occasional raid, they'd still feel bad for making Eda and Lilith have to put up with that on a holiday meant for relaxing and being with the ones you love.

“We can totally still find a way to help you guys set everything up,” Em suggested. “It's just actually being there that's going to take a bit more thought.”

Their planning session was put on hold again as they arrived at the stand, the witch working it giving them a friendly greeting as they each bought some hot chocolate for themselves. Luz needed a bit of reassuring that the one she was given was, in fact, lactose-free, but one sip immediately put those fears to bed when her stomach responded only with the warmth of the liquid spreading through her system. Amity seemed to be deeply pondering something, having seemingly gained at least something for her troubles along the way.

“So if what you're saying is true,” she carefully began, “this 'Christmas' also has a bunch of songs specifically dedicated to it?”

“Oh yeah,” Luz was practically beaming in amusement. “And every year it always seems like singers are going out of their way to create more and more of them. They aren't exactly traditional Christmas carols, but I can't blame anyone who wants to sing about the holidays. Heck, I still know one of my favorite carols from when I was younger by heart!”

With a drink of her hot chocolate and a quick clearing of her throat, Luz softly began to sing. No one could understand a word of it, considering it was in that 'Spanish' language Luz said she also knew (and Amity really wanted to somehow learn one of these days), but they couldn't argue with the passion that she was putting into every note. Amity could feel her eyes widening and her jaw dropping, not to mention the heat spreading throughout her face was most definitely not from the hot chocolate. She had never realized before now just how _angelic_ Luz sounded, and she couldn't tell if she'd somehow picked up on some vocal magic from her Bard classes or if she was just that naturally entranced by what she was hearing, but she knew she absolutely needed to hear more of it.

One thing she knew she could do without, however, was the tears that were suddenly rolling down Luz's cheeks.

Luz had been so caught up in sharing one of her favorite Spanish carols with everyone that she'd completely forgotten why it was so special to her. It had been her favorite because it was also her Mami's favorite carol, and as she got closer to the end she was suddenly bombarded by memories of the very few Christmases the two had actually spent together, where singing this song had always been one of the highlights. To her credit, she managed to power through the last few lyrics without her voice breaking, but by the time she finished and realized she was crying, she felt about ready to run away from the idea that she'd once again brought her friends' holiday spirits down.

“Oh Luz, I'm so sorry!” Amity exclaimed, trying – and failing miserably – to keep from panicking at the sight of her crush suddenly being upset. “I didn't mean to push you into singing something that was going to make you cry! Please, let me-”

Amity pulled a handkerchief from her coat and leaned in to try and wipe the tears from Luz's face before her brain seemed to catch up and she felt like she was about to give herself a heart attack with how forward she thought she was being. Luz awkwardly tried to pull away, more to resume her idea of making a break for it so she'd stop bringing the mood down, but this messy dance of one trying to run and the other trying to maintain the strength to at least offer a handkerchief and a shoulder to cry on if need be ultimately saw them accidentally bump into each other yet again, and a nearby scream seemed to snap everyone out of the disastrous spectacle.

It was at this point that Luz and Amity both realized that their collision had stripped them both of their cups of hot chocolate, the contents finding their way all over a now irate Boscha who just so happened to be passing by at the wrong time.

“Really!?”

“I'm so sorry Boscha, I didn't- we didn't mean to-” Amity tried to stammer out a sincere apology once the weight of the situation seemed to finally sink in, but the Grudgby captain was having none of it.

“It's bad enough that you losers still think anybody actually cares about you,” she spat, ignoring Amity entirely and directing all her fury specifically at Willow, Gus, and Luz, “but to think you can get away with trying to dump disgusting hot chocolate all over me just because Amity, for whatever reason, is giving you a desperate social boost is just pathetic.” To punctuate her point, she summoned a spell circle that caused a fresh cup of steaming hot chocolate to suddenly throw itself off the vendor's cart directly at Luz, who just barely avoided it thanks to Amity quickly pulling her aside. The vendor was about to lose his cool, but a glare from Boscha made him back down.

Whatever funk Luz had fallen into from her song disappeared immediately once she finally realized what was going on, and she quickly clenched her fists and turned her glare towards Boscha.

“You really think you can just get away with acting like this around Hexmas? Do you not care about Krampus hexing you, especially with you being the 'star captain of the Grudgby team' and all?”

Boscha could barely stifle a harsh laugh. “Please, you think that just because these dorks filled in a few blanks about Hexmas that you're suddenly an expert? The social elites, like yours truly, have all the money and power to just get ourselves whatever we want. To us, Krampus is nothing but a joke, assuming he even exists, which we all know he doesn't. If he did, he'd join garbage like you and this idea that you're anywhere close to being on the same level as someone like me where you belong: beneath me, rotting away on whatever beach a trash slug washes up on.”

Luz was about to retort, a wave of uncharacteristic anger slowly starting to take over, but she was cut off by Boscha suddenly grabbing Amity by the wrist and attempting to forcefully drag her away.

“Boscha, what do you think your doing!?” Amity yelled in surprise.

“Isn't it obvious?” Boscha replied smugly. “I don't know you you felt like pitying these losers for as long as you have, but now it's time for you to be reminded of who you really are so you can stop embarrassing yourself. So, we're going dress shopping so we can look amazing for-”

Boscha is surprised when Amity tears her hand away and slowly backs up until she's returned to Luz's side, a stern look appearing on her face as a warning that whatever she was about to say, she wanted to be sure Boscha was paying full attention.

“This _is_ who I really am Boscha, like it or not. I'm not mean and heartless like you, and the real witches I'm standing beside now, _including_ Luz, are my real friends. You and I were only 'friends' because our parents made us hang out to benefit their image and that's it. I know what I truly need in my life right now though, and unless you start growing up here soon... it isn't you.”

All eyes were on Amity at this point, but she held firm even in the face of the most menacing glare Boscha could muster, one that's caused lesser witchlings to crumble and beg for mercy to avoid her wrath. Her fists tighten as a primal growl escaped her throat, but before she could begin to make any sort of move, she suddenly found herself buried in a giant pile of snow that had fallen on top of her out of the blue. She managed to pop her head out with a strangled scream before her eyes landed on the twins, who had spell circles at the ready and more snow floating above them that was slowly becoming a barrage of snowballs, and while their lips were curled into their signature mischievous smirks, their eyes held the kind of dangerous look that was just daring her to try anything against their baby sister.

Realizing what she was up against at that moment, Boscha quickly managed to dig her way out of the snow and took off, though she did end up getting hit with a few snowballs along the way that had the group chuckling a bit.

“She really needed to cool off after that hot chocolate bath,” Em joked.

Luz was in awe for a moment of everything that had just happened, from how Boscha had been driven away to Amity's strong stand against the bully that stayed true to the witch she knew the Blight truly was deep down inside and had always wanted to be. She'd long since convinced herself that anyone who was invested in The Good Witch Azura couldn't truly be a bad person, and at that moment Amity had proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she was about as much of a 'good witch' as you could get.

'Hopefully, Krampus agrees with me,' she thought.

Before she could internally debate the topic any further, she realized that Amity was now turning away from the hot chocolate vendor and holding out a fresh cup to Luz, who carefully took it.

“Sorry about all of that Luz,” she said, guilt heavy in her voice. “I didn't mean for any of that to get so out of hand, especially after your song and-”

“No Amity, it's totally fine!” Luz quickly switched gears. “Nobody can help that Boscha's just such a rotten witch all the time, but the way you stood against her was SO cool! Just like when Azura took a firm stand against Hecate to protect her friends before their epic witch's duel!”

Amity could only blush and giggle at the compliment, taking a nice long sip of her drink to help steady her nerves as she pressed onward.

“Thank you, Luz. Um... if it's alright with you... well... you sang one of your 'Christmas carols' for me, so it's only fair if I share a Hexmas harmony with you, right?”

Luz found herself eagerly nodding as she greedily gulped down her hot chocolate in anticipation, letting the growing warmth in her stomach occupy her mind and block out all the bad thoughts about this time of year and the run-in with Boscha so she could be dialed in on this one moment.

When the first notes began to leave Amity's mouth, Luz suddenly felt her chest feeling warm for an entirely different reason.

While she might not have been aware of what Amity thought of her voice, Luz knew what she thought of hers, and if it could have a physical form its picture would've existed in the dictionary right beside the word 'beautiful.' The more Amity sang, the more Luz found herself feeling mesmerized by every word, not because of the song itself, but the voice that was bringing it to life.

At that moment, her brain suddenly had so many thoughts of Amity running through her head. She found herself looking back at every moment where Amity proved there was so much more to her than anyone would've guessed, that she was definitely more than just another Blight. She was kind and caring, possessing one of the biggest hearts Luz had ever seen once she finally started to take a stand for who she truly wanted to be. She was smart and powerful, not only staying at the top of all her classes and still being considered a prodigy but also motivating Luz to keep working hard and getting better herself. And especially now, standing beneath the gently falling snow with her eyes closed as she sang the most amazing melody Luz swears she's ever heard, it was hard not to admire how beautiful she was.

Luz's eyes almost popped right out of her head as she swore she felt her heart barrel full steam into her rib cage, one thought suddenly standing out above all others in her mind, like a light spell guiding her through the darkness towards a truth she may have considered once or twice but never fully accepted until this very moment.

'Oh, cramity... I think I have feelings for Amity!'


	3. I'll Give It To Someone Special

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I swear that updating roughly once a week is not intentional on my part. Plain and simple, working a full time job keeps getting in the way and leaves me with little free time to work with, which sucks considering all the things I want to be able to do. Still, I'm plugging away at this fic, and I still hope you are all enjoying it despite how far away we've gotten from the holiday this was originally about. On that note, speaking of things that might as well be a holiday, happy one year anniversary to the debut of The Owl House!
> 
> EDIT 1/29/2021: Making an edit to this chapter to add in some incredible fanart that was done for this fic, courtesy of [MisterMustachio](/users/MisterMustachio/). Thank you so much for the fanart you've done, and especially because I never once dreamed in a million years I'd ever have someone doing fanart for a story I'd written! You can check out more of his work on Tumblr (https://heyj.tumblr.com/) and Reddit (https://www.reddit.com/user/Mister-Mustachio/)

To say that the last few days have been a whirlwind of activity would have been an understatement in Luz's opinion.

Whether that was because of everything going on in general or because she was struggling to do any of it while trying to make sense of her newly discovered feelings was the lingering question she had no answer for.

As the time ticked by and Hexmas Day approached, Luz and Amity had practically dragged one another into just about every activity they could think of in hopes of trying to help one another with what they believed were the problems that plagued them. It wasn't hard for either one to figure out by now what was going on, but neither voiced any objection to it and simply tackled each new activity with enough energy to power a whole city if there was a way to convert it for such a purpose.

Luz could practically feel her face heating up as she laid back on her sleeping bag and stared at the ceiling, looking back on all they had tried to do.

One of Luz's first suggestions to help prove Amity deserved to be on Krampus's 'good witch' list was her home realm's tried and true method of collecting old winter clothes that no one needed anymore so they could hand them out to those who were in desperate need of them. As odd as some witches found the idea, many had no problem parting with items they were never going to wear again if it meant they were no longer wasting space in their homes. Everything had been going better than Luz thought it might... until a few guards from the Emperor's Coven came around and hijacked the whole thing, claiming it was 'their duty to take from witches and redistribute as they saw fit.' Luz's attempts to argue against it only saw her be threatened with arrest due to still being the Owl Lady's apprentice, and when even Amity's efforts to reason with them fell on deaf ears they had no choice but to abandon the project.

Amity had then suggested trying an activity Luz had brought up as a Christmas tradition: baking gingerbread cookies. The simple idea of baking anything with Amity had Luz agreeing without a second thought, even if the gingerbread creations were more 'demon' than 'men' as Amity found it strange to try and mold them into a humanoid shape. All had gone well until Amity had gotten a little flustered over a compliment Luz had given her, and the next thing either of them knew one of Eda's potions had spilled from the shelf all over the confectionery creations and brought them to life. What followed was several hours of the gingerbread demon army they had accidentally created trying to bake more into their ranks as they battled with the girls to try and escape the house to wage war on the outside world, and considering they were able to recycle any broken pieces that left the girls only one option.

After that, Luz and Amity swore on their massive tummy aches that they never wanted to taste gingerbread again for the rest of their lives.

Luz at least tried to tone things down a little bit when she and Amity recovered enough to go back out in search of good deeds. After all, what could go wrong when you're simply asking kids what their Hexmas wishes were in hopes that you might be able to help and take some of the burden off Krampus himself? Apparently, quite a bit, if the number of times they got chased off by parents upset over the attempt to 'corrupt their children into believing a lie and a myth' was any indication.

Their most recent activity had, surprisingly, turned out to be the only one where things hadn't gone wrong in some fashion. Granted, Luz's insistence they do the task by hand and without magic had contributed to a few small wounds, but that was a small price to pay for the beautiful Hexmas sweaters she and Amity had managed to knit for one another, and the fact that Luz was wearing hers right now made it hard to fight off the butterflies that were soaring in her stomach over the simple idea that she was wearing something that Amity had made _for her_.

As she tried to somehow cuddle the sweater closer to herself in absolute glee, her eyes fell on the picture frame she'd been trying to avoid, and in mere seconds the feeling in her gut had changed to something quite unpleasant.

She hesitantly reached over to grab it and held it up above her face, staring deeply into her mother's eyes and loving smile. An internal debate suddenly sparked over how much her mom had truly cared, considering she usually chose work over her daughter around this time of year despite the apologies and insistence she had no real choice in the matter. She was the same woman who had attempted to send her off to a summer camp to make her more 'normal' after all, so how much could she trust her even if she was the one who brought her into the world in the first place?

“I wonder if it even matters that I'm here,” Luz asked herself. “If I'd been able to go back on time, or if I never came here, to begin with, what are the odds she'd just be working Christmas Day anyway?”

It was a bitter thought, and all it served to accomplish was stoke the fire of wishing for the impossible, that she could somehow spend the holiday with her mom even though she was stuck here. She knew better though; even if it were somehow possible, she'd then have to tackle the problem of explaining everything to her. If she thought being unable to handle that back at Grom was bad, add on months of her being gone with no explanation and that was a nightmare that not even Luz would ever be courageous enough to stare down.

“If I had the chance though... could I even convince myself to leave? I mean, the Boiling Isles are everything I've ever wanted. I'm learning magic, I actually have friends... Amity...”

“Luz! Get your lazy butt down here, will you!?”

Luz was ripped from her conflicting thoughts and feelings by Eda's yell from downstairs, and she quickly pulled herself together enough that her mentor wouldn't question her as she bolted down the stairs, skidding to a halt right in front of Eda as she stood in the living room, which now looked overly festive in a way that she'd probably be gushing about under better circumstances.

“Alright kid, I know something's been bothering you the past few days and you clearly don't want to talk about it,” Eda began, which made Luz nervous that she was just going to start trying to force the information out of her. “Quite frankly, it's bumming us all out, so as my apprentice I'm putting you to work to clear your head of whatever it is.”

Luz breathed a sigh of relief, though she ended up wheezing a bit from the surprise of suddenly having to catch a large sack that sounded like it was full of potions that was unceremoniously dropped into her arms.

“As luck would have it, I got a ton of last minute potion orders from people hoping to stave off whatever Hexmas disaster they're expecting,” the witch explained. “Normally I'd have no problem doing this run myself, but Lily desperately needs me to help her with something, so I'm hoping this little Hexmas Eve trip will help you out a little bit. You can even keep a cut of the snails if you'd like, as a little Hexmas gift from me to you,” she added with a wink.

“I won't let you down, Eda!” Luz said with a salute as she hauled the bag over her shoulder, briefly reminding her of Santa Claus, before she started for the door, only to stop when Eda cleared her throat and silently pointed out that she was far from dressed for the weather outside. One quick trip back up to her room to throw on her winter gear, though, and soon Eda was seeing her off with a wave as she bolted towards Bonesborough.

“Alright kids, she's gone,” she called over to her left once Luz was well out of sight, and with a poof, an illusion of snow mounds up against the side of the house was dispelled, revealing Edric, Emira, Willow, and Gus with arms full of Hexmas party supplies. The five of them piled back into the house just in time for Lilith and King to come downstairs with a few of their own party supplies.

“I hope this is worth it,” Eda couldn't help but mumble as they all got to work preparing for the surprise they hoped would lift Luz and Amity's spirits if all went according to plan. “As much as she's grown on me, I don't know if the kid would accept me as a replacement mom, not that I want to replace hers in the first place. Not to mention we still haven't figured out a way to get the Blight babies over here without their parents and probably even the Emperor's goons tailing them.”

“We'll figure something out Edalyn,” Lilith offered, moving to place a reassuring hand on her sister's shoulder. “We still have a day to plan.”

“Besides, we're not doing this to replace anybody,” Willow added. “We're not all a 'proper' family, but we all care for each other, and that's good enough. Hopefully Luz and Amity both see that and love us for trying to give them both something they wouldn't have otherwise.”

“I hope you're right,” Eda said, her voice coated with worry. Seeing Luz not always being the frantic ball of energy she usually was since she'd learned about Hexmas had already taken its toll on her, and learning about the likely reason why only made the feeling worse. After all, it was her fault Luz was here, to begin with, and even if she had preferred staying to learn magic over this 'summer camp' thing, if Eda had put her foot down then and there they could have avoided all of this.

But would her life have meant as much as it did now because she'd allowed the human to stay?

“Alright, first thing's first!” she called loudly with a clap of her hands, aiming to get everyone's attention just as much as she was trying to psyche herself back up. “We're going to get everything set up so we can hide it before Luz comes back before moving on to planning a Blight breakout. That potion route's only going to keep her busy for a few hours tops, so we need to get moving!”

That seemed to be the spark everyone needed to get into full swing, determined to prepare a surprise that would hopefully, no, definitely make this the best Hexmas ever for two young witches who desperately needed it.

* * *

“Ugh... where could they be?”

Amity's frustrations were beginning to boil over as she stalked through the market, her eyes desperately hunting for a pair of familiar twin heads of green hair. It was Hexmas Eve, and Edric and Emira had disappeared to Titan knows where without an explanation. Unsurprisingly, when their parents had found out, Amity had been ordered to track them down and bring them home, as 'tradition' dictated today was when the Blight children would need to be reminded of exactly everything that would be expected of them during the party tomorrow. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that all of them could pretty much recite everything they'd cover from memory at this point, but their parents always insisted as a means of making sure none of their 'perfect children' stepped out of line and became anything but.

Honestly, she couldn't blame Ed and Em for ditching the manor today, and being sent to find them had actually given her the perfect excuse to have a little freedom for herself.

Shoving her irritation at knowing what would await her if she came home without her siblings aside, Amity calmed herself by shifting her focus towards carefully examining the wares on display from every stall she passed by, quietly wondering to herself if it would be worthwhile. She knew as well as any witch did about how 'nontraditional' it was for someone other than Krampus to hand out presents for Hexmas, but she also knew that Luz wouldn't be one for tradition even if she was filled in on that little detail. There wasn't a doubt in Amity's mind that, just because of this 'Christmas' holiday she normally celebrated, Luz would be more than happy passing out gifts to all her friends if someone could help her regain that spirit.

'And maybe, if I'm lucky, she could see me as something more,' Amity thought to herself, ignoring the heat that was painting her cheeks red as she kept trying to find anything that stood out to her as the perfect gift for Luz. Granted, she knew that just about anything from this world would bring that beautiful sparkle to her eyes, but if Amity Blight was going to give the girl she had been crushing on for months a present, it was going to be something that made her feelings towards the human one hundred percent unmistakable. Money wasn't an issue for her, not so long as she had the right intentions.

“Ho, ho, ho! Well if it isn't little Miss Blight? And here I wasn't expecting to see you until tomorrow!”

Amity was pulled out of her thoughts by a familiar voice, and her eyes widened when she realized who was positioned at the rather extravagant and festive stall she'd found herself standing in front of. The man was quite tall, even by normal witch standards, with long fluffy hair and beard that were so black in color it made you think it was somehow weaved together from the shadows themselves, and yet it still stood out prominently against his dark complexion. Most of his lanky body was hidden by the blood red robe he wore that was decorated with chains of varying lengths, but one part that was never hidden were his hands and the long bony fingers that were just plain unnatural and unnerving, even among all the twisted oddities of the Boiling Isles.

“Oh, Mr. Klawse!” Amity exclaimed before bowing her head a bit. “I'm sorry-”

“You have nothing to apologize for, dear,” he said, politely holding up a hand in reassurance. “I don't exactly advertise when or where I set up shop, so there's no harm in not recognizing when you stumble upon it.”

The grin that very clearly bared his fangs might seem like the stuff nightmares are made of to many, but not to Amity. Mr. Klawse was a frequent guest of her family's various parties, especially their Hexmas affair, and among all the stuffy upper class elites of the Isles he was a rare exception that was actually kind and understanding toward the plight of the Blight children having to just stand around and do nothing every year. Another rare exception was the fact that, outside of perhaps the Emperor himself, Mr. Klawse was far and away considered the wealthiest and most powerful witch in all the Demon Realm, even more than the Blight family. No doubt that was the only reason her parents always invited him.

“So,” he said as he leaned on the counter to observe Amity better, “how's party planning been going with your parents?”

“It's been going well,” she replied, though she knew that Mr. Klawse would always be able to see straight through her practiced indifference she was supposed to display at all times when in the presence of someone of his status.

“Aw, come on,” he gently reached out and tilted her chin up so they could lock eyes. “You know you don't have to lie to me Amity. I know your parents have a bad habit of forgetting their responsibilities as... well, your parents. I can tell just by the minor quiver of your voice that all is not as well as you claim.”

“I know, a-and I'm sorry Mr. Klawse. It's just hard when you know you can't really do anything about it.”

“Well, _I_ believe that you're better than they could ever think, and I'll even make sure to say as much at the party tomorrow. After all, you know as well as I do that my word holds far more power than their does.”

That small reassurance is all it takes for Amity to feel confidence begin to swell in her chest, confidence that has been broken down every time she's attempted to build it up all because of her parents and their unreasonable expectations. It's a feeling she hates letting go of, and she can't help but make the most of it while she can.

“Thank you Mr. Klawse. Um... if it's not too much trouble, maybe you could help me with something else?”

“Something else, you say?” he questioned, an eyebrow disappearing into his fluffy hair. “I assume you're looking for something in particular? I couldn't help but notice you were doing quite a bit of window-shopping before you found me.”

“Sort of,” Amity admitted. “I'm actually looking for something special, something I could give as a gift to some _one_ special.”

“I can't recall the last time someone asked for my help about a gift, what with the stigma of anyone but Krampus doing that on Hexmas and all,” Mr. Klawse couldn't resist chuckling. “This must be someone _very_ special indeed.”

The blush that began consuming Amity's entire face was all the sign he needed as words began to fail her. His deep chuckling continued as he bent down to look beneath his counter for a moment.

“I believe I might have something rare that I'm sure would make an extra special gift,” he told her as he hunted for a little longer before finally rising back to his full height. His hand gently set a small box on the table, and when he opened it, Amity's eyes lit up like a Hexmas tree at what she was seeing.

“Is that...?”

“A Soulmate's Lock,” Mr. Klawse happily finished for her as her eyes rapidly shifted between his face and the invaluable necklace he'd put before her.

“But... but I thought they were only a myth?”

“I believed so as well for the longest time,” he explained, lowering his voice a bit as though he were afraid of any other ears prying into this conversation. “But then I happened to stumble across one a few months ago. I could have easily sold it to anyone and added to my wealth, but that would be a great disrespect to what this particular piece of jewelry represents. So, I held on to it, waiting until I could find a buyer who knew full well the meaning behind it and only sought to give it to a very special someone. It sounds to me like you have such a person in your life now, unless I'm mistaken, and maybe, just maybe, this might help explain to them what your words cannot.”

As soon as Mr. Klawse had finished his speech, Amity was already digging through her purse, questioning him on its price and forking over more than enough snails to cover the rather rare piece of jewelry. The tall man could only grin in amusement at how eager she was, making it clear that whoever she was giving this to was perhaps even more special than even he could imply.

“Thank you so much, Mr. Klawse!” she exclaimed, something the towering witch can't quite recall ever seeing of her.

“The pleasure is all mine, Miss Amity. Just give me a moment to package it up so you can get it home safe and sound, away from prying eyes.”

“Amity!?”

The sudden addition to the conversation had Amity quickly whip around in surprise, and she could feel her heart beat even faster once she confirmed who the voice belonged to as Luz came bounding up to the stand like an adorable puppy, an empty sack hanging from her shoulder. Amity stealthily glanced over to Mr. Klawse and was relieved to find that he'd already gotten the necklace box mostly hidden in the packaging he was working on, though his hands seemed to be moving all on their own as his full attention was on this newcomer who seemed to have Amity all out of sorts.

“Luz! Wh-what are you doing here?”

“Oh, Eda sent me out to make some Hexmas Eve potion deliveries for her,” Luz explained, though Amity could tell something about her little trip today was being hidden and she wanted to pry to know who she had to engulf in flames. To her credit, Luz seemed to shake it off quickly enough. “I just finished up and saw you hanging out, so I figured I'd stop and say hi!”

“Eda sent you to make deliveries today instead of doing it herself?” Amity couldn't help but question.

“She said it might help take my mind off things, and my mentor knows me well because it did the trick!” Luz replied, even tapping at her forehead as though it were supposed to be a sign that her mind was a lot sharper than it had been lately. “So, what brings you to the market today?”

“Oh! I, um... I was, uh... looking for Ed and Em! Yeah... have you seen them around?” Amity hoped she didn't come off as being too awkward, though she wasn't exactly lying as that was the real reason she was even allowed out of the manor today, to begin with.

“Afraid not,” Luz responded. “which is a shame because I was kind of hoping they might have a few more ideas of things we could do before Hexmas. Maybe... together even...”

“I- I mean... I don't know what kind of ideas they could have, b-but if you wanted to do something Hexmas-related...”

As the two continued their awkward little conversation, Mr. Klawse was watching it all unfold carefully as he put the finishing touches on packaging up Amity's purchase. It was clear that they were both trying to hide things from one another and he had a pretty good guess as to what they were, but he was never one to expose anyone without reason. The more he saw, however, the clearer the picture became as to who Amity's 'special someone' was, and it was impossible to keep the grin from forming on his lips. That said, he knew they were slowly reaching a point where there would be no hiding anything, and he knew that now was hardly the right time for such a revelation.

“Forgive me for interrupting,” he finally interjected, “but you're all set Miss Amity.” He carefully slid the package to her and she quickly snatched it up and tucked it away into her purse, but not before Luz caught sight of the mysterious parcel.

“Oooooh, what did you get Amity? Is it some super secret Hexmas surprise!” Luz asked, practically bouncing in place as her nerves from before almost seemed to melt into her sudden burst of excitement.

“Oh, it's... it's something my parents asked me to pick up while I was out looking for the twins,” Amity lied. She hated having to do it, especially to Luz, but if she knew the truth of what she'd just bought right now it might ruin everything. “A-Anyway, I should probably get going. I really need to find Ed and Em before it gets too late. Later Luz!”

With that, Amity quickly ran off, Luz looking a bit concerned but waving farewell all the same. Still, she couldn't help but feel that something had seemed more awkward than usual about that whole interaction. Obviously, she was stumbling over herself trying to keep her feelings hidden as she was still unsure of whether or not Amity could possibly return them, but the witch had seemed just as nervous and anxious about interacting with her. Thoughts that maybe, just maybe, Amity did think of her the same way floated through her mind, but she was quick to dismiss them, believing she was just reading too much into things and getting a little selfish when she should be more focused on helping to keep Amity out of the holiday blues.

“So, I take it you are a friend of Miss Amity?”

Luz snapped out of her thoughts when she realized she wasn't alone at the stand, finally acknowledging the huge looming presence that stood behind the counter in amusement at her reaction.

“Ah ha, yup, that's me!” Luz awkwardly replied before sticking out her hand and quickly regaining her composure. “I'm Luz, the human! Amity's one of my best friends.”

“Ah, so you're the human I've been hearing so much about. A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance,” the man said as he shook Luz's hand. “I'm Mr. Klawse. I've known the Blights for a very long time and tend to find myself at any of their social functions. I do have to say, though... unless my eyes are finally starting to fail me, it would appear that, perhaps, Amity might mean a little more to you than just being your best friend, hm?”

The fact that Luz was suddenly choking on air and trying to pull herself back together was more than enough for the tall elite to confirm his suspicions, and already the gears were turning for his next move.

“Who, Amity? Nah, she- she's just... am I really that obvious?”

“I'm afraid that's not my place to say, Miss Luz,” Mr. Klawse replied as his hand began digging around beneath the counter again. “I've just been around long enough to certainly learn how to see things that others cannot. And I can see that Amity is a _very_ special witch to you.”

“Y-yeah, she is,” Luz sheepishly admitted, her cheeks igniting into a deep blush. “She's so smart and talented and beautiful, and she has a good heart despite what some people might think. I'm just worried that she doesn't think of me the same way.”

“Well, you'll never know unless you try, as I believe the old saying goes. And I believe that the best way to try is by giving someone you have feelings for the kind of gift that makes your intentions very clear. Something that can say everything you need to say when you fear that words will fail you. And, as luck would have it, I just so happen to possess such an item.”

Luz's undivided attention was on Mr. Klawse now as he set a small box on the counter and opened it up for her. Resting within was arguably the most beautiful piece of jewelry that Luz had ever laid eyes upon. A thin rose gold chain was attached to a heart-shaped gem that reminded Luz of rose quartz, the crystal looking like it had a keyhole etched into the center of it along with a pattern that almost looked like it resembled veins emanating out from it. At the bottom of the heart, there rested a silver tip that, despite being very small, looked incredibly sharp.

“Whoa...” was all Luz could say at first as she marveled at what she was looking at. At least, until she had to ask the obvious question. “What is it?”

“This, my dear human, is known as the Soulmate's Lock,” Mr. Klawse explained. “These were special pieces of jewelry that have long since thought to have been lost to time. No one knows where they come from, but according to legend, they were designed to be absolute proof of how much you wanted to mean to someone you truly cherish and feel you cannot live your life without. Sadly, they are some of the rarest pieces to find these days, as witches have misused them without respecting what they represent for decades.”

“This... this is perfect!” Luz exclaimed, practically vibrating in place over the thought of giving this to Amity. She quickly dug through her pockets and grabbed every last snail that Eda had allowed her to keep for herself from the potions run, but as she went to hand it over she stopped herself as reality set back in. “Wait... if it's that rare, then there's no way I have enough to cover this.”

“Then whatever you have will do,” Mr. Klawse responded, the honest generosity practically oozing from his smile and tone of voice. “It's of far more value to you than it is staying in my inventory. Consider it a special Hexmas discount out of respect for what I hope is a truly heartwarming holiday moment for you and Miss Amity.”

“Really?” Luz's eyes lit up as she finally let the snails drop onto Mr. Klawse's open palm. “Thank you so much, Mr. Klawse! You're totally ending up on Krampus's nice witch list this year!”

Mr. Klawse chuckled, almost as if he knew something she didn't, but he quickly deposited the snails and turned his and Luz's attention back to the necklace, motioning for her to carefully take it in her hands.

“Now Miss Luz, it's time you learn the true secret of the Soulmate's Lock and why it holds the power I've spoken of. You see that little silver tip at the bottom? If you prick your finger on it, the heart will magically draw in a small amount of both your blood and your soul, permanently bonding it to the gemstone itself.”

“Which means I'd literally be giving Amity my heart and soul!” Luz realized, drawing an amused nod from the tall witch.

Luz carefully examined the necklace for a moment, almost as though she was weighing her options even though she'd already bought it. Biting her bottom lip and trying to steel herself for what she knew was coming, she carefully jabbed the spike into her finger, sending a tingling sensation throughout her body that nearly knocked her for a loop. She pulled the gem away, leaning against the counter to steady herself for a moment before she examined it again, and her eyes went wide at the sight that greeted her. The rose quartz heart had now taken on a pinkish-red glow, the etched pattern glowing a shimmering silver color now as it almost looked like something was constantly moving around within it, something that resonated with her.

“It's beautiful,” Luz awed. “And it's literally a piece of me now...”

Mr. Klawse offered to package it up so she could get it home safely, and by the time he was done Luz was eagerly bidding him a fond farewell and a happy Hexmas, which he was more than happy to return. As he watched her go, he couldn't help but ponder something to himself, almost as though he knew what was to come and what would need to happen to ensure that Amity and Luz got the happy ending he had done his best to direct them towards.

* * *

If Amity thought she had been stressed out earlier, that was nothing compared to right now.

The sun was starting to descend as afternoon began to give way to evening, and after she'd purchased her gift for Luz with help from Mr. Klawse she'd spent the entire rest of the day combing every last trace of Bonesborough for the twins, only to find no trace of even any pranks that might have been their doing. She had no idea what they were up to, but if it didn't involve trying to get any and all pranks out of their system before tomorrow then she couldn't even begin to guess what had kept them out of her hair for the entire day.

Of course, now that she had finally made her way back to the gates of Blight Manor, this had gone from being peaceful to problematic.

“I am so dead,” she mumbled to herself as she gently began to push the gates open, knowing full well she was in for a tempest at best the minute she stepped inside the building by herself.

And yet, she wasn't as bothered by this as she thought she might. Sure, her parents were going to probably emotionally scar her going into the party tomorrow as she sat through yet another horrible Hexmas, but the package she had poking out of her purse was keeping the fear and dread at bay. The only thought she tried to keep herself focused on was getting back to her room so she could prepare and properly wrap it to give to Luz as soon as she could, giving herself ample time to hide it somewhere safe where no one would find it until then. If her parents knew what she'd bought and who it was meant for, that was surely the end of Amity Blight as the Demon Realm knew it.

“Hey, Mittens!” she suddenly heard two voices call out in unison as she reached the front door, causing her to violently whip around in surprise just in time to catch Edric and Emira running towards her, though they skidded to a halt as soon as they saw the upset look on her face.

“Where have you two been!?” she yelled. “Mom and dad sent me to find you hours ago! Do you know how worried I was about almost walking in there without you two on Hexmas Eve?”

“We're really sorry Mittens,” Emira began. “We didn't mean to stress you out or create a mess.”

“We just had some very important last-minute Hexmas business we needed to tend to, honest!” Edric added, holding his hands up defensively.

“So, more holiday pranks?” Amity questioned, the tone of her voice clearly worried at how overboard they could've gone if they were out of sight for so long and where the heck they would've been setting them up at, considering their usual hot spots were the first places she'd checked.

“No, no, nothing like that,” Emira tried to clarify, though something in her tone carried a lot more worry and concern than Amity was used to hearing for some reason. She was about to try probing into this, but Edric beat her to the punch.

“Hey, what's that in your purse?”

Amity's cheeks immediately went red as her siblings caught sight of the package poking out, and she quickly tried to shove it deeper in so it was no longer visible.

“I-It's nothing!”

“Uh-huh,” Emira replied with a smirk. “Nothing to us, but maybe something for a certain human perhaps?”

“Look, will you two just back off!” she cried out in frustration as she gave up trying to fit the package into something that was definitely too small for what she wanted of it. “Just... keep it a secret, alright? I can fill you in later, but the last thing I need is for mom and dad to find out what it is.”

Even if her tone wasn't laced so thick with worry, that alone would've changed the twins' tunes as they silently nodded in agreement to keep quiet as Amity finally opened the door and they all stepped inside. The moment they crossed the threshold, however, the door immediately slammed shut on its own and the trio found themselves immediately in the crosshairs of both of their parents, neither one of which looked to be in a very good mood.

“Edric, Emira,” their mother began, her tone clearly indicating she was struggling to maintain her usual composure. “Where have the two of you been? I believe I made it explicitly clear that the Blights are to _always_ be together in public during the Hexmas season, no exceptions! And Amity, what took you so long to find them? It's almost evening and you've all wasted so much time! You have all been raised better than this!”

Everyone opened their mouths to simultaneously apologize, but before any words left anybody's throats they were cut off by their father, though the immense sternness in his tone was hardly any better.

“We do not have time for apologies or further lecturing,” he coldly told them, which earned him a brief look of irritation from Odalia that he ignored. “Because you have all wasted so much time today, we must discuss tomorrow's festivities immediately.”

The Blight siblings audibly gulped as their mother took a deep breath to recompose herself before addressing them in that sickeningly sweet tone she always used as a means of pretending like she actually cared for the well being of any of them.

“As you know, the annual Blight Hexmas party is the single most important party for the image of this family, as it is the single largest holiday gathering for the biggest and most important names on the Isles. As such, we can tolerate nothing less than perfect behavior from our perfect children, because this is just as much about the future of our family name.”

“That means talking to anyone who wishes to have a conversation with you,” Alador added, “being courteous hosts, and no childish antics or pranks... Edric, Emira.”

The twins briefly flinched at being singled out, though they quickly straightened out under the glare of their father.

“This will be especially important this year,” Odalia claimed, “because, after tomorrow's party, all of your futures will be set in stone, including you Amity. What you will be doing upon graduation from Hexside will be certain, as well as who among our esteemed guests you will be spending the rest of your lives with to further extend the influence of the Blight name.”

Amity couldn't resist being visibly disgusted with that revelation. Any time her parents had discussed suitors in the past, it had always been with the son of one of their business partners, and even if she could somehow discover that she liked boys as much as she certainly did girls, she would gladly pursue anyone that held zero connection to her parents instead, if for no other reason than she could put up with their attitudes about as well as she'd dealt with Boscha for so many years. Despite all of that, however, she already knew who she wanted to spend the rest of her life with if possible, and her hand subconsciously moved to rest on the package she'd bought as though it would give her the strength to get through the rest of this conversation.

Unfortunately, none of this went unnoticed by Odalia, who was always able to pick up on even the slightest sign of discomfort from any of her children, but especially her youngest and brightest.

“Is there a problem with us ensuring you'll already have the perfect boy waiting to marry you upon graduation, Amity?” As her daughter stiffened at being the one singled out now, her eyes moved down to catch sight of what she was clutching. “And what is with that package you're trying to hide? You aren't planning on doing anything that's going to disgrace yourself and especially our reputation, are you?”

Amity could feel a fire begin to burn inside, rage beginning to take hold just because, of course, their family's reputation always had to be more important than anything to do with her specifically. She knew she had to contain it and think of something fast, however, as her mother was slowly closing the distance with the clear intent of getting her hands on the gift, and Amity could not lose the key to perhaps finally being able to tell Luz how she felt.

“It was something that was given to me by Mr. Klawse,” she finally told her mother, and considering it wasn't exactly a lie she could easily keep her usual mask on in this situation. “I ran into him in the market and he gave it to me to wear for the party tomorrow.”

At the mention of Mr. Klawse's name, Odalia immediately backed off and Alador noticeably stiffened. They looked to one another in silent conversation over this development, which even seemed to have Ed and Em taken aback, all of them knowing better than to do anything that was going to lose a potential partnership with someone of his status. After a few moments of tense silence, Alador finally cleared his throat.

“You are all dismissed for the night,” he stated, still clearly a bit rattled by Amity's revelation as he was trying to work through what deeper meaning it could possibly hold. “Get plenty of rest, and be sure you are all up first thing in the morning. We need to be ready bright and early for the party, and we will not tolerate any sloppy behavior caused by a lack of proper sleep.”

“Yes father,” the siblings all responded before they quickly headed up the stairs and to their respective rooms, leaving their parents to ponder the meaning of Mr. Klawse's gift to Amity.

The moment her door was closed and locked, Amity took some time to catch her breath at the close call, steadying her nerves before she got to work on the task at hand. She didn't know how or when, but it was clear to her now that she needed to give her gift to Luz before the party tomorrow before she was bound to someone she could never love without any say in the matter. Luz needed to see how important she was to Amity, no matter what.

Despite what her parents had asked of her, Amity knew she'd be getting no sleep this night.

* * *

Camila Noceda wasn't going to be finding sleep tonight, and this had, unfortunately, become the norm over the past several months.

She hadn't been worried at first. She'd bid her daughter farewell as she was set to go to camp for the summer to hopefully curb some of her more outlandish tendencies and understand the difference between fantasy and reality so she wouldn't get in trouble as often. The two had texted back and forth frequently during Luz's first month there, passing along updates of everything that had been happening. She'd even received letters regularly from her daughter, telling her of all that she was learning there. Sure, she noticed a few oddities here and there among the letters, like Luz misspelling her own name once or twice, but she chalked it up to her daughter trying to rebel against the camp and being forced to fix it.

After the first month, the texting suddenly came to an end without warning. Camila got nothing from her daughter, and any attempts to send texts to her were never delivered. Even then, she never felt she had any reason to worry, assuming Luz had either forgotten to pack or just lost her phone charger or just as likely gotten her phone taken away for some reason. The letters still came in, and as long as she had that, she knew all was well with her daughter.

When summer came to an end and the camp bus drove right by her house without stopping, her entire world seemed to grind to a halt.

She had wasted no time in pursuing the bus to its next actual stop, climbing aboard to demand answers and find her daughter only to be told that there was no Luz Noceda on board at all. When she returned home, she immediately called the camp to get to the bottom of this, and what she learned ignited an anger she didn't even know she was capable of. Apparently, Luz had never shown up to camp at all, and instead of doing the responsible thing like calling her to see if she'd withdrawn her daughter at the last second or anything like that, they had opted to send her fake letters for months as an excuse to pocket the money she'd paid them. It didn't take long for the police to get involved, and while the camp was forced to give Camila her refund and most of its staff that were aware of this were in deep trouble, the search for Luz turned up nothing.

And now, late into the night on Christmas Eve, she found herself sitting quietly on the couch, bags under her eyes from countless nights where she could not sleep, afraid to dream because she knew she would see her daughter there only to wake up to the painful reality that she was God knows where and nobody could find her. A few officers and neighbors still helped with the search when they could, out of the kindness of their hearts, but for the most part, the case was considered cold after months of dead ends and many had simply assumed the worst by this point. All she could do now was slowly flip through old photo albums of Luz, fresh tears staining the pages as she began to accept that they were on the verge of another Christmas spent apart for catastrophically different reasons this year.

“Oh Mija,” Camila choked out, as though Luz's school picture from the previous year that was staring back at her would somehow respond. “I don't know if you ran away or what happened, but I should have never sent you to camp if I had known this would happen. I should have never agreed to work most of these past Christmases so we could have spent them together... now we may never get to spend another one together again.”

As she set the current album aside and reached for one that specifically contained the very few Christmas memories the two had together, her heart ached at the knowledge that, for the first time in years, she was actually going to be given Christmas Day off without risk of being called in all of a sudden, though she knew it mostly had to do with the hospital trying to be nice in the face of her grief over Luz's disappearance. It left a bitter taste in her mouth knowing that the roles were reversed this year.

“I just hope your safe Luz, wherever you are...” she sobbed, reflecting on how young Luz had been the last time they had actually spent the holiday together. “Still... even if I do not know where you are, even if I can't somehow bring you home, I would give anything to at least be able to see you for Christmas.”

She took a moment to tear her eyes away from the photos to look around the house, having been decorated top to bottom for Christmas. It had been a welcome distraction for her, and she insisted to anyone who questioned her on it that she wanted Luz to return to a festive house _when_ she was found and brought back, but at this point, it had become nothing more than just that... a distraction. A temporary reprieve from having to assume that the worst had happened to her precious baby.

A sudden knock at the door ripped her away from this silent reflection.

She glanced over to the front door curiously, slowly standing up and approaching it with caution. While it wasn't uncommon for people to come and check to see how she was doing, all things considered, it was far too late on a major holiday for anyone to reasonably set aside their own plans or even still be awake to come to her door. Even if she was expecting it, she would've guessed it would've waited until Christmas Day proper at some point. Still, she carefully pulled the door open just enough to see who it was and be able to slam it shut again if need be.

Out of all the possibilities of who could have been on the other side, certainly an unnaturally tall man who possessed features that made him look almost inhuman to a degree wasn't even on the list.

“Camila Noceda?” he carefully called as he stared down at her through the crack in the door, the deepness of his voice startling her almost as much as the fact that he knew who she was.

“How do you know my name? Who are you?”

“I know this is going to sound strange, especially coming from someone like me, but I believe I may know where your daughter is. Luz is her name, correct?”

Those words paralyzed every last nerve in Camila's body, and every instinct she had was screaming at her to slam the door shut and call the police. And yet, something about his presence seemed like it was trying to put her at ease. Even the tone of his voice, disturbingly deep as it was, carried with it a clear indication that he only wanted to help her. Her hands suddenly trembling, she found herself opening the door wider and staring up at him in shock.

“How do you know my daughter!? What did you do with her!?”

“Please Ms. Noceda, I have nothing to do with where your daughter is now,” he carefully responded. “I am simply looking to fulfill her wish of being able to spend this holiday with her mother, despite the distance that now exists between you two. I cannot promise much, but if you would kindly let me in I will gladly explain everything. I would do so now, but... it is quite a bit colder here than I thought it would be, and it might be best if you sit down because I have a feeling you're going to find what I have to say quite difficult to believe at first.”

To say that Camila was taken aback by this bizarre stranger's request was an understatement. Maybe it was the desperation to hear anything on the whereabouts of her baby, but something about this man was making it clear that he held no ill intent and only wished to talk, and it sounded like he might actually know something that no one else did.

Keeping her guard up but silently praying that this was the Christmas miracle she'd been hoping for, she welcomed the man inside.


	4. Moonlit Exchange

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm aware that it's been about ten days since I last updated, and I apologize. We lost somebody at work recently so I kind of got stuck having to pick up the workload since I'm who always gets called when shifts need covered. Still, we're pressing onward with this (very belated) holiday journey. This was originally supposed to be part of the final chapter, but after looking over things I decided this kind of worked better standing on its own, so instead of being four chapters as originally planned, this is now going to be five chapters. I also already have most of the last chapter knocked out for this reason, so I'm aiming to have this story finished by this weekend at the latest. Hope you guys are still enjoying!

'Twas very early on Hexmas morning, and all through the Owl House, not a creature was stirring...

Except for a human lost to a slumber she was now regretting.

Even bundled up so tightly in her sleeping bag to the point that it might as well be a literal cocoon, Luz was tossing and turning violently in her sleep, eyes closed tight as she mumbled something in Spanish that didn't sound good based on the panic that radiated from her voice. No matter how hard she tried, whatever was dancing through her head right now was not sugar plums, nor was it anywhere close to pleasant. She squeezed her eyes tighter as her sleeptalking got more and more frantic until...

“BWAAAH!”

She bolted upright, eyes as wide as dinner plates as she took deep, rapid breaths in a desperate bid to calm her rattled nerves. She could feel the cold sweat she'd broken out into as she briefly glanced around the room and realized that she was still in the Owl House, and that thought slowly helped her to get her bearings.

“It was just a bad dream...” she muttered to herself as one more deep breath seemed to ground her at last. She glanced over to where King was curled up, relieved to see she hadn't woken the little furball. Titan knows how upset he'd be at being woken up so early in the morning, and Luz wasn't keen on finding out. As she glanced in that direction of the room, however, her eyes inevitably drifted toward the picture frame that sat beside her sleeping bag.

She reaches over and takes hold of it, staring blankly at the smiling visage of her mother that stared back at her. The nightmare was still so fresh in her mind, tormenting her over the fact that for as much as she had already accepted the Demon Realm as her home because of how accepted she was for actually being herself for once, she had abandoned her mom in the process. She hated that idea, but for as painful as it was, accepting it almost seemed easier than accepting that this had all started with her mom trying to change who she was instead of accepting her daughter's eccentricities.

“I know Eda warned me about being out at night,” Luz quietly told herself as she started to pry her body free from the sleeping bag, “but I think I could really use some fresh air right now.”

After checking to see that it wasn't as cold out as it was earlier despite the falling snow, she changed into her usual clothes, though she opted to substitute the Hexmas sweater Amity had made for her over her usual hoodie, the idea comforting her just that tiny bit more. She grabbed her glyph notebook as a precaution, though as she pocketed it her eyes landed on the small present that had been perched beside it. Something in her brain was telling her to bring it along as well, and ultimately she gave in and tucked the gift safely away.

Luz carefully opened her bedroom window and climbed out, making sure to close it so King wouldn't be woken up by the sudden change of temperature in the room. Gently making her way across the snow-covered roof, she managed to peer over the edge to confirm that Hooty was still fast asleep. Ripping a plant glyph from her notebook, she activated it and allowed the vines to snake their way down the side of the house, allowing her to carefully descend to the ground below. Moving as quietly as she could manage, she sneaked past Hooty and disappeared into the nearby woods.

As creepy and dangerous as her surroundings were at this time of night, Luz had two things going for her: the beautiful full moon illuminating it all, and knowing exactly where her body wanted to go.

It took a few minutes longer than she would've liked, mostly because the snow had become thick and deep along the ground and easily covered all the rocks and roots that were normally much easier to avoid, but she finally emerged into the small clearing dominated by the sight of the towering tree with pink leaves that still stood firm against the winter weather. Somehow, being painted with the extra layer of snow and the prominent illumination from the light of the moon made the sight feel like it had been born of a masterful work of art, except this was all too real and brought back so many memories that took on an entirely new meaning in the face of the new feelings she'd been working through.

This tree existed because of _her_.

Because of what _she_ and _Amity_ had accomplished together.

The two of them had danced and combined their magic to defeat one of the most horrifying creatures in all of the Boiling Isles, and because of it, they had both made their own mark in this world, literally.

“Luz?”

Luz's attention was pulled away from the majestic sight at the sound of her name, hand instinctively reaching for her glyphs, but her body went slack when she realized that not only was she not alone out here, but exactly who it was that seemed to have the same idea of a midnight walk through the woods.

Amity was seated at the edge of the cliff that overlooked the Boiling Sea, donning her own Hexmas sweater that Luz had crafted for her and having been lost in her own thoughts until her ears had picked up on the sound of snow quietly crunching beneath someone's feet behind her. Now, the two girls had locked eyes, both looking surprised to find the other there and neither one willing to make any sort of move that might disturb the serenity of the scene around them. After what felt like an eternity, Luz finally started closing the distance, carefully sitting beside Amity. Both of their cheeks were flushed and the other could see it clearly, but it was easy to simply assume it was due to the chill in the air.

“So...” Luz slowly broke the silence. “What are you doing all the way out here this late at night?”

Amity felt a sigh of frustration escape her lips. “I just... I couldn't stand being in the manor anymore. All Hexmas ever means to my parents is a chance to expand the Blight name and nothing else, and I'm so tired of being seen as a... a trophy for them to display to show off how good the Blight legacy is, not being allowed to actually be who I want to be or earn recognition for anything I've done. It's always about being a Blight... never about Amity...”

Luz feels like a lightbulb is starting to go off in her head, but it's flickering like the revelation is just at her fingertips but she still can't grasp it. Maybe with a few more pieces, she could put this puzzle together...

“What about you Luz?”

“Huh?” Luz was startled for a moment before she got her bearings and realized Amity had turned the question back on her now. She found herself looking out at the water as she nervously scratched the back of her head. “I, um... I had a nightmare... it reminded me so much of the human realm and Christmas and everything I'm missing out on because of it. I guess I thought a late-night winter walk would help to clear my head.”

Silence began to reign again as both girls struggled to look at each other, pondering over what they'd heard from the other and figuring out what the next move should be. Luz, having had a little extra time to think about it, decided to take the initiative again.

“Amity, I'm sorry that your parents put so much pressure on you. No one deserves that, especially if it's only for your family name and nothing else. My... my Mami would never do that to me... at least, I don't think she would...”

“It's not your fault Luz,” Amity responded. “That's... just the way it's always been in our family, for better or worse. It's why they always get so much worse around this time of year, because it's a bigger chance to impress all their colleagues and convince people that we're this perfect family that's just so much better than everyone else, and... Ed, Em, and I are just so sick of it all.”

Luz hesitantly reached over and placed a comforting hand on Amity's shoulder, and while the witch was surprised by the action at first, it was slowly replaced by the genuine smile that always made Luz's insides all warm and fuzzy, to the point where her focus on that almost caused her to miss Amity's quiet declaration that followed.

“I'd give anything to trade places with you, experiencing Hexmas for the very first time and not having to worry about any of that... even if it means being upset at not being able to do any of your 'Christmas' traditions.”

“Christmas is fun, don't get me wrong, but...” Luz bit her bottom lip for a moment as she tried to figure out the best way to word this. “I haven't really done a whole lot in the way of Christmas stuff for the past few years anyway, so it's not that big of a deal.”

“What?” Amity was taken aback by this revelation, and while Luz wasn't surprised by that, she was stunned by what Amity followed that up with. “But... I thought you... haven't you been upset this whole time because you were missing out on your human holiday? That's why I spent so long trying to figure out what Hexmas equivalent could be a suitable substitute!”

Amity almost immediately slammed her hands over her mouth, her plan having slipped out in the heat of the moment and resulting in her wishing she could just lean forward and plummet off the cliff right now so the water could wash away her embarrassment. Luz just stared at her, mouth agape as everything slowly seemed to be coming together for her.

“You... you did all of that... because you were afraid I was upset over not getting to celebrate Christmas?” After a moment of hesitation, Amity shyly nodded, too afraid to speak lest her mouth betray her some more. “Amity... you didn't have to do that, but it was very sweet of you to try and help.” Luz's hand left Amity's shoulder to nervously rub her arm. “I guess, if we're coming clean about stuff... you've been so worried about Hexmas yourself, what with not having been the nicest witch when we first met and all, that I've been trying to come up with any way I could think of to hopefully get you on Krampus's 'good witch' list before it was too late.”

Amity could only blink at how sheepish Luz looked as everything started to finally click in her own head as well. “You... you thought I was worried about ending up as a bad witch this year?”

Luz nodded, her blush deepening as she tried to quickly ponder how Amity would react to hearing that. It was safe to say, though, that a snort and the laughter that followed was nowhere on the list, though Luz couldn't deny how much it made a smile start to creep onto her own face.

“Luz, as bad as this is going to sound,” Amity began. “Boscha was kind of right about one thing: the elites of the Boiling Isles don't care about Hexmas since there's usually more than enough snails to buy anything we could ever want. As for the hexes... for as long as I can remember, Hexmas morning would always start with my parents ordering our servants to feed every gift, regardless of what was in it, into an enchanted flame because they had 'more important' things to worry about than whatever Krampus left us. Believe me, I'd love to be considered a 'good witch' by his standards for once, but... my parents would never let it matter anyway.”

“So they just destroy it!?” Luz sounded quite offended at this revelation. “OK, OK... aside from maybe wanting to try and avoid whatever karma they're owed because your parents are clearly bad, period, what could possibly be more important?”

“Our family's annual Hexmas party,” Amity said as though it were common knowledge, though she quickly realized that, of course, Luz wouldn't have said knowledge since this was still her first year of even being in this realm. “Every year, they always throw this huge party for anyone in the upper class to attend to talk business and show off, and every year my siblings and I are just the proud trophies our parents parade around to tout the future of our family name. They always make the days leading up to it so stressful, demanding nothing less than absolute perfection... I'll be honest, even if you didn't have the right idea of what was going on, just getting to spend a lot of that time with you made it all a little more bearable.”

As soon as Amity stopped speaking, Luz wrapped her up in a bone-crushing hug, causing the witch to let out a tiny “eep!” as her face became as red as a tomato. Luz had a feeling her own blush was consuming more of her face as well, but she tried to ignore it in favor of giving Amity the affection she knew the poor girl more than deserved and would never get it from the two people who were supposed to show it to her no matter what she did.

“So... um...” Amity stammered out, trying desperately to slam her train of thought back on its tracks with the human clinging to her so tightly. “Why haven't you celebrated any of your 'Christmas' traditions that often?” Amity's eyes widened as she felt Luz's grip begin to loosen around her. “If... if it's too sore of a subject I can-”

“No, it's alright Amity,” Luz reassured her as she pulled away, even if her voice betrayed her words. “It's only fair if you know the truth since you were so honest with me. I've... I've always struggled with this time of the year. My mom works as a nurse – kind of the human version of a healer – and she often ends up working far too much. I don't know if she just doesn't really understand me too well because we haven't spent that much time together, but... I do know that for the past few years, she's always been called into work all day on Christmas because people are always doing dumb stuff and getting hurt or whatever, and I hate it.”

Luz needed a moment to rub her eyes before they could shed any tears as the painful memories hit her hard. “I... I know your parents are awful, but at least you're kind of spending Hexmas with them every year. I haven't been able to say that about Christmas and my mom for a long time... as much as I hate to say it... even if I wasn't still stuck here after having to destroy the portal, I can almost guarantee you I still wouldn't be spending the holiday with her because of work.”

Now it was Luz's turn to be startled and have an internal panic as Amity returned her tight hug from moments ago, throwing her own feelings out the window because the mere idea of Luz feeling so down about something she, unfortunately, had no control over was like a dagger cutting through her very soul. After a few moments of Luz slowly managing to pull herself together, Amity pulled back but gave Luz the most genuine smile she could muster.

“I know it's hard Luz. I can't fully sympathize, even if my parents are so emotionally detached that I kind of know the feeling, but look at it this way: even if you can't spend the holiday together, your mom's at least willing to make that sacrifice to get more human snails to spend for your family. That's the kind of loving sacrifice I wish my parents were willing to make. Instead, all I am to them is another link in the Blight chain, my only purpose to do what's best for our family's future and not my own. Even if that means having to accept that after this year's party... I'm going to be tied to a suitor I know I won't like all because it means the future of the Blights will be set in stone.”

Even if she didn't pick up on how bitter Amity's tone became as she slowly shifted to mentioning her parents' holiday party and their plans for this year, hearing that last part, in particular, had Luz's blood boiling. She suddenly shot up to her feet, the look of pure rage on her face startling Amity as she just gazed in shock as Luz couldn't hold back anymore.

“How... how can any parent think that's anywhere close to RIGHT!? I don't care if arranged marriages are a thing here, that's not fair to you! You're so much more than just a Blight, and if your mom and dad don't want to see that, then that's their fault! This is YOUR life Amity, YOUR future, and YOU should be allowed to decide who you want to spend it with! Your parents should be ashamed for not even allowing you to look for love on your own. I mean, what if someone like me just so happened to have feelings for you? How is that fair on you if you have to tell me no just because it's not up to you!”

Luz's shoulders were heaving as she took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. As she did, she couldn't miss the look of sheer shock that had taken over Amity's face, to the point of disbelief at something she'd heard in Luz's rant. She wanted to think that it might have been the result of her outburst as a whole, considering it was a known fact that Luz wasn't really prone to getting absolutely furious very often.

As she played her tirade over in her head again, one particular line stood out to her, and the moment she realized it, she could feel her entire face become a burning crimson as she quickly backed away from Amity, no longer able to bear the pain of what she was sure was the incoming rejection of the feelings she'd just admitted to if she was reading Amity's face right. She ultimately felt her back collide with the Grom tree, and her first instinct was to let herself slide down against it until she was seated again, pulling her sweater up over her face as though it would completely hide her existence from the world.

The calm silence felt almost deafening to her, making Luz wonder if it was better if nothing more was said as opposed to Amity just getting it over with now. A few moments felt like an eternity before she finally heard the sound of snow softly crunching beneath the witch's feet, cutting off close by before a presence made itself known next to her at the base of the tree. She slowly pulled her head out of the sweater and locked eyes with Amity again, and while she still looked rocked by what she'd heard, there were enough hints of a smile and a blush that ignited a flicker of hope within the human.

“Luz?” Amity finally managed to say, although it came out a bit squeaky and required her to clear her throat. “Did... did you say what I think you said?”

Luz was taking a few breaths, trying to figure out if she should risk going through with this. As she did, her fingers brushed against something in her pocket, and she remembered that she'd decided to bring the present she wanted to give to Amity with her. A thought briefly flickered through her head about some kind of Hexmas magic that might have foreseen this coming and made sure she was prepared, but she shook it off as her fingers slowly ran over the wrapping paper. She recalled what Mr. Klawse had told her when he talked her into buying it, and considering the corner she'd just backed herself into, now felt like the perfect time to just take her shot and get it over with.

“Amity,” she carefully began, “I- I know that gifts are normally Krampus's thing for Hexmas, and Eda's told me all about how most witches usually think there's some kind of ulterior motive to this, but...” Slowly, she pulled the present out and revealed its existence to Amity, further stunning her. “I couldn't resist getting something for you. I just... I hope you like it.”

Amity hesitantly took the present, looking over it for a moment and almost wondering if she even should open it. Luz could feel her fears and anxieties begin to consume her the longer they went without that paper being ripped away from the box. Finally, Amity reached into her own pocket, and Luz could feel her eyes trying to pop out of her skull when she saw a present being offered to her as well, identical to the one she'd just given save for the choice of wrapping paper. She hesitantly lifted her gaze back to meet Amity's own, and this time there was no mistaking the very present blush that had nothing to do with the temperature.

“Luz,” Amity slowly started, “I'll be honest... I don't care if I made it onto Krampus's 'good witch' list or not this year, because you've always been able to see the good in me... even when no one else did. You didn't have to chase after me when I was upset over how our witch's duel at the covention turned out, you didn't need to try and make up for your role in the library incident by sharing your Azura book with me... but you did. You never gave up on the idea that I was a better witch beneath what my parents wanted to make sure everyone saw of me, and you became one of my best friends because of it. And yet... as selfish as it might be to admit, I've always kind of wanted to, maybe... be something more.”

Amity gestured to the gift that now rested in Luz's hands, and after a moment the two seemed to be on the same wavelength as they reached a silent agreement to open their gifts at the same time, quietly hoping that whatever was inside meant what they were hoping it would. Paper was torn away and boxes were opened, and nothing could have prepared either of them for the feeling that impacted their hearts when they each pulled the necklace out, so familiar to them and yet so much more than what either could have ever expected. Slowly, they turned their heads to lock eyes once more, hesitant to shatter the silence that had taken hold once more. As much as she enjoyed finding herself lost in Luz's beautiful brown eyes, though, Amity was the one to finally find her voice again.

“A Soulmate's Lock?” she asked. “Luz, where on the Isles did you get this? Do you know how rare these are?”

“I know,” was Luz's hesitant response before she cleared her throat and tried to project more confidence into her voice. “Mr. Klawse told me all about them when he sold one to me... after you bought this one from him?” She hadn't intended to end it as a question, but it was finally starting to sink in for both girls that despite their rarity, they'd both managed to buy one from the exact same witch within minutes of each other.

“Maybe... maybe he somehow knew...” Amity mused, though how that was possible was beyond her at the moment.

“Wait...” Luz suddenly said as she examined hers a little closer. “Amity... did you... is this...”

Amity was confused at first at what Luz was referring to, but soon she realized the same thing Luz had caught on to: both Soulmate's Locks were glowing, having reached their final stage along with everything that image meant. They carefully looked back at one another again, both girls' faces somehow almost becoming the spitting image of a pair of ripe tomatoes. They both tried to say something, but their voices kept getting caught in their throats and they kept accidentally trying to speak at the same time when words could finally be formed. Somehow, in the midst of that, one of Luz's hands seemed to find its way to one of Amity's, and the gentle intertwining of their fingers was enough for Amity to find a way to recompose herself and take the lead.

“All those things I just said Luz, about how you always saw the person I truly wanted to be buried beneath everything my parents made me build myself into... no one's ever been that kind to me. Sure, Willow and I were friends when we were younger, but she got to know me for who I was before my parents tried to ruin all of that, and even she grew to accept that I probably wasn't the witch she thought I was after that. You never thought I was really like that... even when I tried to push you away, you showed me just how determined you are to do things no one thought was possible. You're so kind and brave and you discovered a lost way of doing magic to prove you're just as much of a witch as anybody else on the Isles, and you did it all just by being so unapologetically _you_. I guess... I just knew that I had to have you as part of my life, even if I spent so long just trying to keep it to myself because I was afraid you wouldn't like me that way.”

“Wait a minute,” Luz interrupted, eyes going wide as something seemed to click for her as she glanced back and forth between Amity and the tree they were resting against. “So, when your biggest fear at Grom was rejection, you were afraid that I was going to...?”

Amity could only nod, and Luz lightly smacked the back of her head against the tree trunk with a groan as she thought back to that now, especially her infamous 'that's what friends do' line that she regrets so much now in hindsight.

“I'm sorry you had to feel that way for so long Amity, and I'm sorry that I apparently missed all the signs that you've had feelings for me that are now super obvious when I think back on it. I've never really had the best luck with stuff like that... no one back in the human world ever wanted to so much as be friends with 'Luz the weirdo' let alone want anything to do with me romantically. When I first came here, I kind of just blocked it all out and spent so long focusing on everything else in front of me, like this fantasy world full of magic that's actually real right before my very eyes, that I became the very thing I hate in every romance story I've ever read. But when you stood up for me when Boscha was trying to ruin our Hexmas spirit and then started singing, I couldn't stop myself from looking back on everything we've done together. That's when I think it finally clicked for me... why I pushed so hard to try and 'befriend my rival' and find the kind and amazing witch you truly were deep inside. You're so smart and skilled and powerful and beautiful, and you have feelings for someone like me?”

“If I didn't feel that way about you, Luz, then I wouldn't have given you a Soulmate's Lock,” Amity pointed out. “After all you've done to help me find the real me again, I know there's no one in any realm I trust more with a part of myself than you.”

“And I trust you with part of myself Amity because you're the first person to actually _love_ me for exactly who I am, flaws and all, and I'm afraid of letting that go now...”

“You won't have to worry about that Luz,” Amity reassured her, putting on the most sincere smile Luz had ever seen when she spoke her next words. “I love you, Luz Noceda, and I swear on the part of myself I've given you tonight that I always will.”

“And I love you, Amity Blight,” Luz returned, confidence finally beginning to build itself back up after hearing Amity speak. “And that piece of myself in your hands is yours, forever and ever.”

Almost like they were magnetically drawn to one another, the two girls almost immediately threw themselves into a tight hug, neither one wanting to let go, almost as if they'd find this was all a dream if they ever did. Tears were slowly rolling down their cheeks now, stinging from the cold wind that lightly blew in from over the sea, but they could only focus on the fact that they had both confessed to one another and discovered they reciprocated the other's feelings. They didn't know how long they sat there, embracing one another, but time itself no longer seemed to mean anything as long as they were together.

Eventually, they did end up separating, but only after reaching an unspoken agreement that saw them help each other put on the special necklaces, the undeniable proof of their love on display for all to see. Once they'd both gotten them on, whatever chill had started to seep into their skin and bones from being out here in the snow for so long seemed to vanish, almost as though having a piece of the other girl was the missing piece to a puzzle that would keep them both feeling warm and safe no matter what.

It was at that moment that they simultaneously yawned, having completely forgotten exactly how late into the night it was, as well as the fact that Amity had yet to fall asleep while Luz had been forcibly ripped from hers by a nightmare now forgotten. In the back of their minds, they both knew it was probably a terrible idea to be falling asleep out in the cold and snow deep in the woods at this hour, but as they began to snuggle together against one another beneath _their_ tree, not a single thing could pierce the proverbial bubble they'd sealed themselves in.

“I can't believe you've been crushing on me for months and I was too absorbed in experiencing this world to notice,” Luz sheepishly admitted, which elicited a chuckle from Amity.

“I mean, this is all new to you Luz,” she replied as she buried her head into the crook of Luz's neck, “and it never ceases to amaze me how everything that's normal to me fascinates you. I just can't believe no one in the human realm was able to see just how incredible you really are.”

“Eh, I think they had their chance and missed out,” Luz chuckled, feeling more optimistic about her life now that she had someone special to fill the void she hadn't even realized existed until now.

They both had so much more to say, and they certainly tried to say it all, but their yawns were interrupting more frequently and it was growing more and more difficult to keep their eyes open. Finally, the struggle became too much, and they snuggled together as close as their bodies would allow and basked in the warmth and affection they could share as they drifted off to sleep beneath the moonlight, both of them feeling far happier than they realized they ever have before.


	5. Happy Hexmas to All!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be honest, I didn't think it'd take me this long to finish this fic, and I apologize for that. One update roughly every week was certainly not my plan when I first started working on this story, but it's really put into perspective just how relentless my work schedule truly is. Luckily, I'm already taking that into account for my next fic project, which I'll hope to be able to update with greater frequency. That said, it truly means a lot to me how much love and support I've gotten for this fic. Between us being well after Christmas at this point and the fact that this was the first fic I'd attempted to write in about 12 years, not to mention my first actual attempt at finishing a multi-chapter fic, I wasn't expecting much, but I've been absolutely blown away by how welcomed I've felt by everyone who's commented on this fic or bookmarked or left kudos. Thank you all so much, and I hope you enjoy the final chapter of this winter ride. I also apologize in advance, considering this chapter got a little lengthy because once I got into it, I just couldn't stop.
> 
> Also, as an extra note, I made a very important edit to chapter 3 if you guys would like to pop back there and check it out. The incredibly talented [MisterMustachio](/users/MisterMustachio/) actually made some fanart of the Soulmate's Lock that got introduced back in that chapter, and the fact that it's not only absolutely beautiful but also that someone actually went out of their way to do fanart for this little fic of mine just blows me away beyond all belief. He gave me permission to include it in this story, and you can check out more of his work on Tumblr (https://heyj.tumblr.com/) and Reddit (https://www.reddit.com/user/Mister-Mustachio/)

Waking up on Hexmas morning with a feeling of dread looming overhead wasn't as uncommon as you might think, especially if you were Edric and Emira Blight.

Where there would no doubt be some who awoke and checked their Hexmas gifts from Krampus with concern if there was even the slightest chance they weren't a good witch this year, that was never the case in Blight Manor. Even with the hour being fairly early as the sun was still only just beginning to rise into the sky, there was no doubt in either twins' mind that their parents were already awake and doing away with the 'worthless garbage' they were convinced Krampus had simply dumped on them for no reason, maybe even with a bit of arguing over how the heck the holiday demon seemed to slip past 'the greatest magical security system money can buy' as the cherry on top. It almost made them both want to just stay tucked away under the covers, safe and sound until the day was over.

Of course, their parents would never allow them to just sleep through the Hexmas party, and they knew that as soon as the presents were nothing but magical ash their door would be forced open and they'd be made to get ready whether they liked it or not.

At least this year they had something to look forward to, assuming they played their cards right.

As they both dragged themselves out of bed, they recalled all the work that had gone into preparing a far better holiday party waiting over at the Owl House, all the while trying to concoct some sort of scheme to actually be able to get over there. Unfortunately, even some of the best ideas that had been thrown around were shot down because of the truly absurd level of control their parents attempted to have over this one day over all else, so they had to settle for the only thing that might be able to work: grab some breakfast so they could make sure they were preoccupied with the destruction of wrapped packages before simply sneaking out and making a break for it. If they could at least get deep enough into the woods before their absence was noticed, they'd be safely within Hooty's known range to ensure no one could drag them back to the nightmare that awaited them within these walls.

After taking a moment to make sure they were awake, the twins carefully exited their room and slowly made their way down the stairs. Already, the sound of agonizing screams from the servants that were being forced to feed the enchanted fireplace with the gifts they'd never get the chance to open to know for sure if they were naughty or nice was echoing throughout the first floor, causing them both to cringe at how bad the hexes had to be this year for them to be suffering so much for no reason other than the measly pay they were given to do their jobs. The further they got down the stairs, the more they could also hear a heated discussion between their parents taking place. They started to draw spell circles, intending to camouflage themselves to sneak past undetected, but their father's ears quickly picked up on the sound and he immediately leveled them with the kind of glare that could only mean bad things.

“Edric, Emira, where is your sister?”

Ed and Em could feel their spines slowly start to freeze over from the chilling tone he'd just leveled at them, but it didn't change the fact that the honest confusion was crystal clear on their faces.

“I think she's still asleep, father,” Emira responded.

“Do not lie to us, Emira Blight!” their mother suddenly yelled, and the accompanying sound of a fiery explosion that rocked the next room over and was only halted from consuming either her or Alador by a powerful barrier spell they were safely watching from behind only struck more fear into the twins.

“We went to wake Amity up a little while ago to have a talk with her about the attitude she showed last night about her place in the future of this family,” Alador said, “and when we opened her door, she was nowhere to be found.”

Edric and Emira exchanged shocked glances, this certainly being news to them. They hadn't gotten the chance to fill Amity in on their attempted escape 'plan' last night after everything that happened, and as far as they knew she had no idea there was even a planned party waiting for her and them at the Owl House, so she'd simply disappeared of her own accord for reasons that, the more they thought about it, might have had something to do with Luz.

“We have no idea where she is, honest!” Edric pleaded as Alador and Odalia closed the distance, a fury the likes of which they'd never seen directed at them before in their eyes.

“We just woke up and swear she was still asleep if she wasn't already down here!” Emira added.

“And why should we believe that?” Odalia replied. “You two just so happened to disappear for most of the day yesterday, and all of you have been going out and about a little too much for our liking when you know full well what today means for this family. You know something, and you're going to tell us everything right now.”

“We're telling you the truth, mother!” Emira begged.

“Yeah!” Edric added. “It's not like we were planning to go to some other holiday party instead today. We never even said anything to Amity about-”

Emira smacked her brother across the back of his head, and while he winced in pain his eyes quickly widened when he realized the blunder he'd just made. If their parents didn't look like they were about to feed their children to some vicious feral beast before, they certainly did now. At this point, not even the chaotic sounds of the last of their Hexmas gifts being obliterated could drown out their anger.

“The two of you thought you were just going to ignore our family tradition, the sacred celebration of our family, for some far less important party filled with insignificant witches that are not worth our time!?” Alador bellowed. “You thought you could abandon your duty to this family, the roles you are meant to play to ensure that we remain the most powerful name on the Boiling Isles save for the Emperor himself, that easily!?”

“You are going to tell us where this other party is being held. Right. Now.” Odalia's eyes began to glow, raw magical power slowly making its presence known around her as her rage was beginning to boil over. “Alador and I are going to go 'take care' of it, and if we happen to find Amity there, our youngest star corrupted by the influence of lesser witchlings, then the two of you are going to regret-”

“Oh dear, it seems I might be a touch too early it seems.”

All eyes suddenly turned towards the front door, and the Blight parents' anger was replaced with shock at the imposing figure that casually strolled over to where everyone stood, barely any indication that he'd even entered to be found.

“Mr. Klawse...” Alador began, trying to maintain his anger towards his children but clearly rattled by the sudden presence of the one witch aside from Emperor Belos that actually somehow held a higher standing than them in society. “You're early... very early...”

“I apologize Alador,” Mr. Klawse said with a bow of his head. “I didn't intend to bother you all so early. There's just a rather important matter I had to discuss with you and Odalia and I'm afraid it could not wait.”

As Alador and Odalia's attitudes seemed to change almost instantly, Mr. Klawse regarded the situation before him carefully, having overheard some of the conversation on his way in. A knowing smile slowly graced his lips as he connected the dots, but he carefully disguised it in a way that didn't give any indication to his 'colleagues' that he was a little more aware of what was going on than they might believe.

“I couldn't help but overhear the commotion,” he stated, “and, perhaps this is a bit out of line for me to say, but if Edric and Emira wish to attend another party for a little change of pace this Hexmas Day, then I don't see why they can't.”

“What!?” both Alador and Odalia exclaimed. Even Ed and Em were looking at him in disbelief at this point from their place near the bottom of the staircase.

“I couldn't help but notice that your children, despite your good intentions, just don't seem to enjoy the kinds of parties the two of you throw every year,” he pointed out, which had Odalia looking irritated but she did her best to mask it. “I know I enjoy a change of scenery every now and then, which is why I don't always accept your invitations. Your children are still enjoying their youth, and it's only right they be allowed to spend it however they see fit. If they want to get out of this stuffy old manor and try something new, I say it'd be a great opportunity to broaden their horizons a bit, wouldn't you?”

“But... but...” Odalia was struggling to concoct an argument that she knew she had to give, but it was hard for her brain to convince her mouth to actually put a voice to the words.

“Besides,” Mr. Klawse continued, “the important matter I wished to discuss with you is one that I was hoping would be in a completely private conversation. That's why I tried to get here so early, hopefully before your children were awake. Since I see they're up, though, then perhaps I should try again another time?”

“Edric, Emira,” Alador suddenly said, his tone still stern but sounding a little more distracted. As the twins turned to him, they could clearly see he seemed to be struggling with what he was about to say, but the prospect of something important to talk about with Mr. Klawse was slowly winning out. “If you'd like to attend another party, then you are free to do so, but ONLY on the condition that you, and Amity, are all back here in time for our own festivities. Remember what today is supposed to mean for our family, after all. Are we clear?”

“C-Clear, father...” both twins managed to get out, absolutely stunned that Mr. Klawse had managed to talk them into allowing the twins the freedom they thought they were going to have to fight for today. Odalia certainly looked furious over her husband making this decree, but the presence of Mr. Klawse was forcing her to hold her tongue, lest she say or do something that could destroy a potential partnership that would have a lasting impact on the Boiling Isles for generations to come.

“By the way,” Mr. Klawse said in a low voice as he stepped closer, speaking only at a volume that the twins could hear. “Have fun at this other party. I know Amity will join you there soon.”

As badly as they wanted to question him about the meaning behind those words, Ed and Em could see their parents getting more and more agitated by the fact that they'd given in to Mr. Klawse's terms and they hadn't vacated the premises yet so they could talk significant private business. Nodding and mouthing quiet thanks to him, the twins quickly scurried back up the stairs, deciding they could just grab some breakfast at the Owl House. After a change of clothes and a few other things gathered up that they needed to bring, the two were bolting back down the stairs and out the door, calling out goodbyes to everyone in the process.

“Have fun kids,” Mr. Klawse quietly said. “Enjoy being free from this nightmare for the day, and hopefully when you return it'll be to a serious change of attitude.” He couldn't resist letting a smirk appear on his lips as he turned to look back at Alador and Odalia, who both seemed a little more eager now at whatever he had to say.

“So, Mr. Klawse,” Odalia said in that familiar sweet tone of voice that was so fake that it made the towering witch want to vomit. “What important business did you wish to discuss?”

“Ah, yes, it's actually a conversation I've been meaning to have with the two of you for quite some time now, but I could never seem to find the right moment to address it,” he replied, glancing over into the other room as the barrier spell had long since fallen and the Blight servants, all looking like they were in desperate need of a trip to the healers but forcing themselves to resume their normal duties despite the agony they were in. A scowl replaced the smirk as he turned his gaze back to the heads of the Blight family.

“Did you think you could avoid your proper karma all these years and I would never notice?”

That was clearly not what either socialite was expecting to hear, and the very clear malice that suddenly coated Mr. Klawse's every word sent a rare chill down both of their spines. Still, they maintained their composure, since a Blight cannot show weakness, after all.

“Whatever do you mean, Mr. Klawse?” Odalia asked, and the honest innocence in her voice only seemed to make the towering figure angrier.

“I'm talking about how you think you're very clever, making your servants suffer as a substitute for the hexes that were meant to make you into better witches and guide your children down the correct paths in life. Paths that they were allowed to decide for themselves.”

“Now Mr. Klaw-” Alador began to reply, almost as though he was ready to argue a point, but Mr. Klawse was quick to shut him down.

“Alador and Odalia Blight, the two of you have been trying to avoid what you've rightfully deserved for decades now, and I'm done letting it slide.” As he spoke, Mr. Klawse's voice slowly grew more and more demonic as he seemed to gain a little more height. With his robe starting to leave the ground, cloven hooves were revealed, and horns began to emerge from the top of his head as well. An aura of pure, frightening power seemed to overtake the atmosphere in the manor in the form of a fierce winter chill, and the Blights let their normally unshakable stony expressions falter for the first time as they started to back away, only for magical chains to suddenly emerge from the ground and bind them.

“This can't be...” Alador muttered to himself. “It's only a myth...”

“You wretched cretin! Let us go right now!” Odalia yelled, no longer caring about who she was talking to.

“I won't be doing that Odalia,” the now-demonic figure replied as he loomed over them, his voice devoid of any sense of holiday cheer and so deep and twisted that even the most fearsome of demons would cower in fear at the mere sound of it. “And I can assure you I'm no myth, Alador. Now, why don't we discuss every last hex the two of you have tried to avoid over the years with your little 'gift-burning' tactic, and how your days of trying to make a mockery of MY holiday are numbered.”

* * *

When you've spent enough time on the Boiling Isles, some things just feel natural in the morning. The sun shining down upon you as the perfect start to a brand new day, a chill in the air from the winter that always took hold around this time of year, a cozy blanket to help keep you warm...

It's the familiarity of those things that almost makes the comfort of being snuggled up so close to someone else to share all the body heat the two of you have to give feel like a dream.

As both Luz and Amity's eyes begin to finally flicker open and they realize how intertwined their bodies have become, that's the very first thought that runs through their minds. It's a lovely dream, waking up cuddling with the girl you have feelings for, and it's enough to make them resume snuggling up to one another in a bid to get just a little more sleep.

“Morning Amity...” Luz sleepily calls.

“Morning Luz...” is Amity's response.

Mere seconds after their eyes are closed once more, they're rapidly opening again and both girls are shooting upright, staring at one another with horrified expressions and faces so red the heat alone could melt all the snow around them.

“L-Luz! You're here! You were- we were-” Amity was struggling to maintain any semblance of composure as her brain tried desperately to process the sight she'd awoken to.

“Amity! I, um... we- er- well-” Luz wasn't faring any better, her mouth barely being able to form anything remotely resembling a coherent word, much less a sentence.

In their respective panics over finding themselves tangled together as they slept, a weight around their necks helped serve as the anchor that brought them back to reality as their gazes drifted down, lured in by the calming glow of the Soulmate's Locks. Slowly, memories of much earlier in the morning began to flicker through their minds, the panic subsiding as they remembered exactly how they'd gotten to this point. When their eyes finally met again, there was no fear of having crossed some sort of line, only affection for one another.

“It wasn't a dream...” they both said simultaneously, and as if they were following some sort of natural instinct they never knew existed before, they immediately embraced one another in a hug full of life and love and everything that made it unmistakable to both of them exactly how much they truly meant to one another.

Amity broke the embrace first, only because the urge to yawn and stretch her tired limbs became too persistent to ignore. Luz ended up following suit as Amity traced a spell circle in the air and summoned her scroll, sighing contentedly to herself as she believed nothing in the world could ruin this moment for her.

At least, that was until she saw what time it was.

“Oh no! Oh no oh no ohnoohnoohnoohnoohno! I'm in so much trouble!” Amity could feel herself on the verge of hyperventilating as the day and time fully sank in for her.

“Amity? What's wrong?” Luz asked as she quickly wrapped her new girlfriend up in a tight hug, trying to keep her from trembling and spiraling any further.

“It's Hexmas morning and I was supposed to be up and home getting ready for the party hours ago!” Amity yelled. “Oh, my parents are going to kill me! I really, really, _really_ don't want to do this, I don't want to be tied down to somebody when I finally have you and everything is finally perfect, but I'm so late and they're going to send the Emperor's Coven out looking for me and you and Eda and Lilith are going to be captured and it's all my fault!”

Amity tried to scramble to her feet, but she met resistance in the form of Luz holding her tight, not willing to let her go while she's in this state nor desiring to let her girlfriend return to a house where she's clearly not loved and treated like she should be by her parents. She remembers what she was told earlier very clearly, and if she wasn't trying to put all her focus on calming Amity down, she probably would've been making some insane plan to storm the manor and see if she put take out her parents for even thinking the idea of marrying her daughter off like some prized animal was acceptable, social norms be darned.

“Wait,” Luz suddenly says, attention being diverted from Amity's meltdown as something seemed to click in her mind. “Amity, did either of us bring a blanket out here last night?”

The random question had the unintentional effect of at least pulling Amity out of her own head, and even if she was genuinely curious, Luz would still take that as a victory. Still, both girls finally took notice of the fact that a very warm and comfy blanket had been draped over their forms at some point during the night, and they didn't need to say a word to know full well it didn't belong to either of them. They originally came out to their Grom tree to clear their heads about their holiday woes, after all, so what need would there have been for a blanket if they'd intended to return home?

“There's a note,” Amity pointed out as she hesitantly grabbed a piece of paper that had been pinned to the blanket. The decorative and elegant handwriting that greeted the girls' eyes was only topped by the contents of the note and who it was from.

_Miss Amity and Miss Luz,_

_I apologize that you missed me, but when I found you two sleeping so peacefully together beneath this tree I couldn't find it in my heart to disturb you. That said, it also didn't feel right to let you possibly freeze all night, so I left you this spare blanket to make sure you weren't ice statues upon waking for Hexmas morning. I wish you both a very Happy Hexmas and pleasant dreams, and congratulations on exchanging your Soulmate's Locks. I knew I made the right decision in selling them to you, and I can tell the two of you will be very happy together for an eternity to come._

_Also, I have a humble request for you, Miss Amity. I have some 'overdue business' I wish to discuss with your parents this morning, and I wish to do so privately. I will be directing your siblings to the Owl House for this same reason, so feel safe in the knowledge that I can promise you a far more pleasant Hexmas experience there today. Your parents won't mind... that's just one of the many things we'll be having this little chat about. You certainly deserve to be able to spend your beloved's first Hexmas by her side, and I know you will both enjoy this day far more because of it._

_Sincerely,  
Mr. Klawse_

Amity and Luz can only exchange confused glances after finishing the note, both clearly trying to wrap their heads around what it's revealed to them.

“Mr. Klawse visited us at some point during the night?” Luz finally spoke. “And he made sure we didn't freeze to death?”

“He's always been the rare kind witch among the cruel elites,” Amity mused. “And he actually is probably the only one who could make my parents back off on forcing the twins and me to attend our own family party. But why?”

“Well,” Luz suddenly rose to her feet, using the tree trunk to keep herself steady before she offered a hand to Amity. “You heard the mysterious old man! Or, well, read his letter, I guess. Care to join me for Hexmas at the Owl House, _hermosa_?”

“I don't know what that word means,” Amity sheepishly admitted as Luz helped her to her feet, their fingers lacing together, “but I'd love to, sweetheart.”

Luz lets out a nervous chuckle as the blush returns to her face, and Amity's turned just as red when Luz whispers the meaning of her 'mystery word' in her ear as they walk, hand-in-hand, through the woods towards the Owl House, keeping the blanket draped over them for extra warmth. Their necklaces swayed proudly around their necks, filling them both with excitement over the fact that neither one seemed willing to hide what they were now, and any repercussions that could come about from that weren't enough to erase the smiles from their faces or the love from their hearts.

“So...” Luz hesitantly began, not wanting to ruin the moment but knowing that after Amity's meltdown from a few minutes ago, the topic would have to be discussed eventually. Better to rip the band-aid off now, she believed. “About us... and your parents...”

“They aren't separating us if that's what you're worried about,” Amity responded firmly. “I let them force me to cut ties with Willow, and that was a mistake. Luz, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me, and if it weren’t for you, I would never have made amends with Willow or felt like I actually have somewhere to go that feels more like home than the manor ever could. My parents are ruining that over my dead body.”

“Well, I know I certainly don't want it to have to come to that,” Luz declared, leaning closer to press her cheek against Amity's as their Soulmate's Locks gently collided with one another, which seemed to cause the fire within them to burn even brighter. “As your girlfriend and fearless champion for life, I vow to stand by your side, no matter what happens or who thinks they can break up Luzura and Hecamity!”

Amity can't keep the laugh from escaping her throat at just how _Luz_ that sounded. So dorky, yet so adorable, and Amity could hardly argue against the nickname or Luz's decree. They both finally felt whole at long last, and they were both bound and determined to fight to stay that way, no matter what it took.

“LUZ! AMITY! HAPPY HEXMAS, HOOT HOOT!”

The loving looks the two were exchanging were quickly replaced with cringing at the familiar sound as they emerged from the woods, the Owl House now clearly in sight. Hooty, wearing what looked like a Santa hat, had seen them coming and was starting to stretch his way out from the door to greet them, and Luz was readying herself to try and restrain Amity from beating the stuffing out of the house demon even if deep down she kind of felt it was justified from him ruining the moment.

Thankfully, it wouldn't have to come to that, as the door flew open and everyone was flooding out of the house. They were caught off guard at first as they took stock of everyone that had been waiting for them. Eda, Lilith, and King were no surprise since they lived here, and Edric and Emira kind of weren't anymore now that Mr. Klawse's note was proven correct. Willow and Gus, however, were a very welcome surprise, and they and the twins wasted no time in pulling Luz and Amity into a big group hug.

“Hey, guys!” Luz cheerfully greeted once she got her breath back from the crushing hug. “What are you all doing here?”

“No offense, but we figured you two,” Amity added as she gestured to Willow and Gus, “would be spending Hexmas with your families.”

“We already had our Hexmas fun with our families,” Gus began.

“But they were understanding when we told them we'd been working to plan a Hexmas party for you guys,” Willow finished. “I mean, you've both been so down lately and we figured out why, and you both deserve to be able to enjoy this holiday as much as everyone else.”

“Aw, you guys...” Luz couldn't resist pulling her closest friends in for another hug, touched by how much they cared to go this far out of their way to cheer her up. Amity was quick to follow, equally as touched and especially when Willow gave her the same understanding smile she wore all those years ago when she'd first heard about the true horrors of the Blight family Hexmas party and what it did to her oldest friend.

“I hate to be the one to ruin the mood here,” Eda suddenly chimed in as all eyes turned to her, “but where the heck have you two been? You know by now how dangerous the Isles can get at night Luz, especially for a human.”

“And mom and dad noticed you were gone this morning Amity,” Edric added, the faraway look in his eyes pretty much saying all he needed to say on that subject.

“Hey, um... did the two of you hold hands all the way here?” Emira suddenly asked, taking careful note of the fact that the two girls had their hands and fingers tightly interlocked and they'd been that way since the group had spotted them. Luz and Amity only now seemed to become fully aware of this as well as their cheeks went red, but they never let go of one another.

The Clawthorne sisters, however, found their eyes drawn to something else as they approached the girls, Willow and Gus giving them space as they drew everyone's attention to what was hanging around their necks.

“Are those...?” Eda began.

“Soulmate's Locks?” Lilith finished.

“And they're both glowing, like they would if...” Eda added as everyone's eyes went wide at the implication, the legend of the Soulmate's Lock being no secret among witches even if many had since written it off as a myth.

Luz and Amity exchanged glances as they seemed to hold a silent conversation, blushes deepening at having been caught but knowing it was going to happen sooner or later. Taking solace in the fact that the discovery was made by those they both considered their closest friends and family, that made the revelation much easier as they both just grinned at everyone.

“Amity and I got each other Soulmate's Locks as Hexmas presents,” Luz started, “and yes, we gave each other a piece of ourselves. Amity trusts me with that, and there's no one I'd trust more than her.”

“That's why we're a couple now,” Amity added, trying to state it as matter-of-factly as possible, though it was hard to contain the pure joy she truly felt in being able to say those words proudly. “And we might have Mr. Klawse to thank for that, being the one who sold us these and all.”

“He helped us out as well this morning,” Edric stated.

“He showed up to the manor really early and somehow managed to talk mom and dad into letting us off our leashes to actually enjoy Hexmas for once,” Emira confirmed. “I don't know what was so important that he wanted absolute privacy to talk with them, but I'm not going to look a gift griffin in the mouth.”

“Huh...” Amity mused. “It almost seems like he knew-”

“Hey!” king suddenly yelled, grabbing everyone's attention. “I'm all for standing out here and freezing my tail off while gushing about Luz's new romantic fling, but the King of Demons would much rather in inside finally opening his Hexmas offerings!”

“Well, you heard the impatient little fuzzball,” Eda mused, garnering an annoyed squeak out of King.

“Oh, that reminds me!” Ed suddenly exclaimed. “You're not going to believe this Mittens, but our presents are safe this year! Mr. Klawse apparently knew what we were up to because Em and I found all of our gifts under the Owl Lady's tree!”

Amity looked shocked by this revelation, and no more words needed to be spoken as everyone rushed back inside. Now that they were finally out of the cold for the first time in hours, Amity and especially Luz couldn't help but marvel at just how festive the house had become, the human pondering exactly how the heck they'd managed to hide all of this from her while her witch girlfriend seemed to finally put two and two together on exactly where her siblings had spent all of Hexmas Eve yesterday. They didn't get much time to take it all in, though, before gifts were shoved into their arms as King took it upon himself to distribute everyone's 'offerings' so he had plenty of space to eagerly rip open his own, and most everyone else followed suit.

Over the next few minutes, the group found themselves pleasantly surprised at a lot of the results as more and more presents were opened. Unsurprisingly, Willow and Gus were both good witches and had respectively found a rare plant from up on the Skull and an instrument Luz quickly identified as a real human bucket in their gifts. King had also been good this year if the newest addition to his 'army of terror' in the form of a reindeer plushie was any indication. Eda had to be the biggest surprise of the day, opening her gift expecting to be hexed only to find her box filled with very rare and high-quality ingredients she could use in potion brewing, along with a note from Krampus praising her on the shocking turnaround.

Naturally, Eda had to threaten everyone to try and maintain her 'bad girl' image when most of them, especially Luz, were insisting it was because of how much of a natural mother figure she'd become towards the human.

Not everyone was on the positive end of Krampus's list, however. Lilith was expecting to be hexed as well when she opened her gift, considering her past with her sister and the Emperor's Coven, the latter of which had been the only reason she'd been able to dodge the proverbial bullet in past years. Being hexed to have what looked like small tree branches growing out of the top of her head like antlers, though, was far more minor than what she was anticipating, especially as simple appearance-altering hexes only lasted for a day at worst. Edric and Emira found similar hexes waiting for them, with their green hair being turned a gaudy mixture of light blue and pink that made it hard to look at them.

Krampus had at least left them a note explaining he'd let them off lightly this year because of their own attempted improvements, firmly believing he'd see their names on his good witches list next year.

As everyone settled into enjoying themselves and what they'd received, holiday food and hot chocolate began to be served and the warm and festive atmosphere was hard to ignore, especially for the Blight siblings as this was a far cry from how their Hexmas usually went and it made them feel loved and appreciated for who they truly were for a change.

Luz was certainly enjoying herself as well, though when her eyes fell upon her unopened gift, a familiar feeling began to make itself known in the back of her head.

“What's wrong Luz?” Amity suddenly asked as she leaned against her girlfriend, noticing how her face had fallen and trying to figure out how she could perk her back up.

“It's just...” Luz began before faltering, trying to find the right words as everyone's attention slowly drifted over to her now. “This has been great and all, and this is the first time in years I can say I've loved the holidays and felt like I could celebrate them with someone, but... I guess I still feel guilty that I'm not spending it with my Mami.”

Luz's dejected look only lasted for a few moments longer before she felt Amity hugging her tightly, and she found it hard to look away from the comforting look the witch was giving her.

“Well, look at it this way Luz,” she began. “Krampus gets all good witches something they really want, right? You can ask everyone else if you think I'm being biased now that I'm your girlfriend, but I think you've been about as good of a witch as you could be in all the demon realm. Surely Krampus knows exactly what you want deep down.”

Glancing around the room and seeing all the nods reaffirming that her little found family was just as confident as Amity was in that assessment, Luz could feel newfound confidence surging within her as she put on a grin and began tearing away at the wrapping paper. Sure, the box seemed a little small to have actually contained the person she wanted to see, barring some kind of spatial magic she didn't know about, and the idea of her mom being packed into some kind of box carried its own concerns, but maybe, if nothing else, she'd find something within resembling a portal back home so that project no longer needed to be worried about.

When Luz's hand emerged from the box with what looked like a tablet from her world, it was immediately clear that was about the last thing she expected.

Everyone looked baffled as Luz looked the device over, trying to find any sort of indication as to why this had been her gift. The tablet looked quite generic for the most part, although she did find a bunch of strange patterns carved into the back that appeared to be glowing an ethereal blue color, which immediately earned a gasp from Amity once she saw them.

“Are those runes carved into... whatever this thing is?” she questioned. “And they look like their magic is active too.”

“But what would magic runes be doing on a tablet from the human realm?” Luz couldn't help but ask, still baffled as to why Krampus felt this was the gift she truly desired.

Her question was answered when the screen suddenly flickered to life and staring back at her was the one person she was starting to become certain she would never get to see or talk to again.

“¡Feliz Navidad, mija!”

Luz nearly dropped the tablet in shock, the new voice from the other end of the screen certainly getting everyone's undivided attention now. A new tension seemed to settle into the atmosphere of the room as Luz bit her bottom lip, her nerves being shot as she inexplicably found herself in a cross-dimensional video call with her mom, who was giving her daughter the kindest and warmest look she could offer from her place in the Noceda living room, an entire world away.

A mix of emotions all suddenly erupted inside of Luz like a hurricane at this moment: pure joy at finally being able to talk with her mom again, relief that she somehow had gotten the chance to see her again in some fashion, after all, fear of how she was going to react once she found out exactly what had happened to her daughter and why she'd been missing for so long. All of these emotions and many more rocked the poor girl as she did her best to get her bearings again. Thankfully, she wasn't alone, as she felt something grab her hand tightly and glanced over to Amity, who was struggling to fight back tears but was offering the most reassuring smile Luz had ever seen the witchling give to anyone before, their fingers intertwining as the message was clear: no matter what happened, she was there for her beloved.

“H-Hi Mami,” Luz finally managed to stammer out as she turned to look at her mother's face on the screen again, still trying to stave off the feeling of every single one of her nerves feeling like a raging inferno blazed across them. “I... I'm sorry... you've p-probably been worried a-and I owe you-”

“I know, mija.”

“Wh-what!?” Luz couldn't stop the outburst, and those words even seemed to throw everyone present in the room for a loop as well. Deep down, if they had ever found a way to gain access to a new portal to the human realm and had to meet Luz's mom, there had been no shortage of preparation that had gone into figuring out exactly how they would help her explain just where she'd been all this time. Luz could see it clearly from the tablet, though... Camila wasn't shocked at seeing her daughter again, nor grilling her on where she could possibly be. There was a look of understanding in her eyes, and while Luz had seen that look very rarely, she'd seen it just enough to know that her mom wasn't lying.

“I know everything Luz,” she calmly explained. “About where you are, how you got there, all the friends you've made and the magic you've learned... I have to admit that I didn't believe it at first because it sounds just like one of your fantasy stories you always get so wrapped up in. But when I was shown proof that all of it was real... oh mija, I'm sorry if you felt like I was trying to force you to change and become something you aren't. I only wanted to try and help you fit in better here, but... I think I always knew there was more you weren't telling me and never wanted to admit to it.”

“Lo siento, mamá,” Luz replied, wiping a tear from her eye. “With how you were always having to leave work because I was in the principal's office, I didn't want you to worry anymore about me. But... I never could fit in there, and I don't know if going to that camp would've actually helped. People always thought I was too weird to be around, even if I tried to be a little more... _subdued_ in the stuff I did. I was picked on constantly for the things I love and always made to feel like I was nobody. But here? Here in the demon realm I actually feel like I'm somebody. I have people who care about me and support me, weird interests and all. I'm getting to learn magic like I always dreamed about. I feel like I can finally be _me_ for a change!”

“Luz,” Camila carefully called from the tablet. “Seeing you happy is all I've ever wanted, and it sounds to me like you're happier there than you've ever been. I understand why you felt like you couldn't tell me where you've been, but now that I know and we can communicate again, I'm hoping you'll be a little more honest with me going forward, OK mija?”

Luz couldn't help but grin and nod, her enthusiasm spreading throughout the living room like an infection as the others couldn't resist cheering at this news.

“Hang on a second,” Luz's grin suddenly faded as she realized there were a few pieces still missing from this puzzle. “Mami, how did you find out about everything? And how did you know I'd get some weird tablet that we could video chat over? I haven't been able to call or text for months since...” Luz stopped herself right there, unsure of exactly how much her mother exactly knew but not wanting to worry her over casually mentioning she might have destroyed her only way home while fighting the most powerful witch who ever lived.

Camila simply chuckled before making sure her daughter could see the calm smile she wore. “Last night I was visited by a strange old man who said he knew all about where you were. He's the one who explained everything to me, including the fact that you're trapped in that world for the foreseeable future. He showed me some magic as proof of everything and validated his story by showing me a picture on his weird scroll-phone thing of you in front of his stand talking to a green-haired girl with pointy ears like his. I think he said his name was Mr. Klawse.”

Even if she couldn't be seen by her now-girlfriend's mom, Amity's cheeks turned a considerably deep shade of red at the fact that she'd been shown an image of her and her daughter conversing, especially when she thought back on it and realized that if they were both in full-on crush mode then that had to be one of the most awkward conversations the two of them had ever had. Luz's cheeks were a little redder as well, but her mind was far more preoccupied with the other big revelation out of her mom's words.

“Mr. Klawse!? But... but how did he...?”

“He said he had the power to cross dimensions only because he was bound to fulfill your wish to be able to see me again,” her mom explained. “However, he said he only had this power around the holiday and if he brought me back with him, then I'd be stuck there with you. As much as I want to be physically reunited with you mija, I'm afraid I can't just up and abandon the life I have here. Besides, that world sounds more like it's made for you than for me. He also didn't have the power to simply make a new permanent portal, or else he'd have done that instead. So, he combined our technology with that world's magic to create these special tablets for us. He told me the magic will not only keep it charged, like an eternal battery, but also allow it to communicate between realms. It was the best he could do, but it's more than I ever could have wished for to be able to see you again.”

“That's amazing...” Luz couldn't help but mutter, stunned that there certainly was far more to Mr. Klawse than met the eye given everything he seemed to have gone out of his way to do for their little group over the past twenty-four hours. “And I'm still really sorry Mami... I'm sorry for lying about camp and worrying you in the first place.”

“It's OK, Luz,” her mother reassured. “As I said, had Mr. Klawse not shown me proof I'd have believed he was simply being cruel and messing with me. I don't think any human would just understand that witches and demons and magic and all of that actually exist. Though, I wouldn't mind hearing it all again from my little girl.”

With the encouragement, Luz wasted no time in launching into her 'epic tale' of how she ended up on the Boiling Isles and all the crazy misadventures she'd gotten into along the way, learning in the process that Mr. Klawse hadn't told her exactly everything, either because he had not known somehow or because he felt it would've been better coming from her. Camila's facial expression morphed several times between fearful and shocked to relieved and proud as she got the full picture of her daughter's time in an entirely different world full of magic and mystery and everything that just seemed like it was tailor-made for her.

During her recounting, Luz had gotten too excited that she'd tilted the tablet a bit, and for the first time Camila caught a glimpse at the very edge of the screen of the green-haired girl that she remembered from the picture she'd been shown, and from what little she could see of her face she could see exactly what kind of look she was giving to her daughter. It was also at this point that she took notice of the identical glowing necklaces both girls were wearing, and despite the design, she easily picked up on the heart shape and what it had to mean.

“So, Luz,” she finally said, amusement clear in the tone of her voice as she caught her daughter at the perfect time between 'epic tales,' “when were you going to introduce me to the lovely young lady who seems to have stolen your heart?”

Amity let out a squeak and quickly tried to distance herself from Luz, her face burning red after being caught, but Luz kept a firm hold of her hand to keep her from going far. She was just as embarrassed over what her mom had discovered, but the look in her eyes made it clear to Amity that her mom would understand and, again, it might be better to rip off the proverbial band-aid now rather than later. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Amity nodded and Luz pulled her in close, their shoulders and cheeks pressed together to make sure Camila could see them both.

“Mami, I'd like you to meet my new girlfriend, Amity Blight.”

“I-It's an honor to meet you, Ms. Noceda,” Amity nervously said.

“Please dear, call me Camila,” Luz's mom said, her voice reassuring.

The next few minutes were spent with Luz and Amity explaining to Camila, and everyone else as well, exactly how the two of them had finally confessed to one another. Willow was proud of them, though she couldn't resist joining the twins in poking a bit of fun at the two for the 'gay disasters' they both had been. This inevitably led to Luz properly introducing her mom to all of her friends, as well as King, Lilith, and Eda, and Camila could see why Luz had taken a liking to all these witches and they to her. Eventually, Eda ended up borrowing the tablet from Luz so the two women could have a 'mother-to-mother' conversation, leaving everyone else to resume their Hexmas celebrations as she sat on the couch, filling in a few holes Luz had left in her story that the older woman felt her mom had the right to know.

“So there's no guarantee she'll ever be able to come back...” Camila said, sighing at the possibility after Eda had told her all about their struggle with trying to figure out how to get a stable portal back to the human realm.

“I don't want to sugarcoat it,” Eda told her, “but I'm also not going to say it'll never happen either. As much as the kid loves it here, I know she wants to be able to be with you again in person.”

“Hmm...” Camila took a moment to ponder to herself as Eda watched her carefully, trying to gauge her reaction which she found was much harder to do through the screen of this human device. “I know Mr. Klawse was at least able to help me reconnect with my daughter, and... maybe, for now, that's enough. Don't get me wrong Eda, I would love to be able to hug my little girl and spend time with her again, but... if I can be honest? There, in your world, she truly seems happier than I've ever seen her, and I don't want to feel like I'm taking that away from her. But, even if she had never found that world, there would eventually come a day when I'd have to see my precious bebé leave the nest and live her own life. It's sooner than I thought it might be, but with all the friends she's made, and you to look out for her? I think she's in excellent hands.”

“I won't deny that the kid's grown on me,” Eda told her. “Honestly, I feel like I was wasting both my life and my magic up until she came barreling into my life. She's changed so many people for the better here, and I kind of find it hard to imagine how things would be now if she hadn't come stumbling through my old portal door all those months ago.”

Eda couldn't resist looking over to where everyone else was gathered, specifically at Luz as she thought back to exactly how much her life had changed since the human who seemed to be the living embodiment of positive yet chaotic energy had become a part of it, and she couldn't help but smile as she easily accepted that she would never change any of that even if she had the chance to. Luz had become just as much her own kid as she was Camila's actual daughter and carved her own place in this world, and even if it wasn't a perfect solution, it seemed like Mr. Klawse had at least given the kid a way to be able to still have her actual mom in her life while being able to stay with her owl mom.

Speaking of Mr. Klawse, he seemed to be the topic of everyone else's discussion as they were all huddled together by the tree, namely the obvious signs of who he might actually be as everything seemed to come together for them all.

“I just don't get it,” Amity pondered. “If Mr. Klawse and Krampus really are one in the same... it explains a lot, actually, but not why he always attended our family's Hexmas parties.”

“Maybe he was trying to keep a closer eye on us this whole time?” Edric suggested.

“Yeah, trying to make sure we didn't suffer too much on his holiday because of mom and dad,” Emira added.

“I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that he was somehow able to cross over to the human realm, no portal that we know of or anything,” Luz spat out, throwing her arms into the air as a sort of exclamation point.

“Well,” Lilith began to say after taking a sip of her warm apple blood, “I do recall that many of the legends about Krampus say he will go to any lengths to fulfill a good witch's deepest witch. That might explain why he was able to make a one-time round trip, because of how much you desired to see your mother again.”

Luz nodded as that explanation made a ton of sense, especially after what her mother had told of her conversation with the witch/holiday demon. Even if it wasn't in person, the fact that she could have her Mami in her life once more was more than she could've ever hoped for on this holiday, and she certainly didn't want to feel like she was causing the woman any more trouble by uprooting her entire life just to come experience the new one she was living. Maybe someday, she could try it for herself, but until then...

“Hey Mittens,” Ed suddenly spoke up, snapping Luz out of her thoughts and directing all attention to her girlfriend. “You haven't opened your present from Krampus yet.”

“Oh, I, um...” Amity stumbled over her words as this fact was pointed out, a blush taking over her face once more. “Well... if I was a good witch, then I think I already got all I ever wanted.” She couldn't resist glancing over at Luz, who quickly understood what she was getting at and returned the blush full force. “But I don't know if-”

“Of course you're a good witch, Ami,” Luz suddenly jumped in, wrapping Amity in a tight side hug. “Remember what we talked about?”

Amity nodded as she recalled the words had exchanged during their midnight confession, taking a deep breath and steeling herself as she carefully unwrapped the present. Truth be told, she was still expecting herself to be hexed after everything the two had gone through leading up to today, and maybe by helping her and Luz to finally admit their feelings Mr. Klawse was simply taking pity on her. When she finally opened the box, however, she found no hex being placed upon her, which was a pleasant surprise. Reaching inside, she carefully pulled out a note and read it aloud.

_Amity,_

_To say that I am impressed would be an understatement. The turnaround you have made this year has been an absolute joy to watch, especially since I always knew that deep down you were so much more than the puppet to your parents' plans. Though, perhaps a lot of it had to do with a certain human who made her way into your life in recent months. Even still, I hope you enjoy this little offering from me as the proverbial bow on what I hope has been a very happy Hexmas for you._

_\- Krampus_

Before Amity could begin to look, something slowly floated out of the box and above everyone's heads, moving into position just above where she and Luz were together. Aside from the human, everyone's eyes had gone wide as they realized exactly what Amity's gift had been.

“Is that...?” Gus started.

“Enchanted mistletoe...” Willow finished, looking particularly awestruck at the tiny little plant.

“I think I'm missing something,” Luz finally admitted. “Don't we already have mistletoe strung up?” She pointed over to the entryway to the kitchen, where there was indeed some plain old mistletoe hanging there and just waiting for two people to end up beneath it.

“Unlike regular mistletoe,” Lilith began to explain, “enchanted mistletoe is meant to be especially special for a new couple. If they share a kiss under it within the first day of becoming a couple, the mistletoe will charm them to ensure a long and prosperous relationship together.”

That explanation is more than enough to turn Luz's entire face red as she gazes over at Amity, whose face is equally as red as they both realize exactly what they've been given. Even Eda's full attention is on them now, and the tablet's been turned so Camila can see too as all eyes are now on the lovebirds. Naturally, being put under the spotlight like this has been both too nervous to make a move, but as their eyes slowly drift down towards the Soulmate's Locks they gifted to one another, they can feel the love begin to push them beyond their worries, and the next thing they knew, they were tightly embracing one another and sharing their very first kiss, pouring every last feeling they held for one another into it as the enchanted mistletoe began to bathe them in its magic. Cheers begin to ring out from everyone in the room as the couple finally separate to catch their breaths, but they might as well be the only two people in the world at that moment.

“I love you so much Amity,” Luz finally says.

“I love you so much too Luz,” Amity responds.

“And now I think we should start planning on how we can top this for Hexmas next year!” Luz added, and Amity couldn't help but break out into laughter at how much joy her girlfriend was finally showing around the holidays.

They'd both admit that this was going to a very hard Hexmas to top with everything that had happened, but sitting there together, their feelings for one another displayed proudly around their necks and flowing freely through their veins like magic and surrounded by everyone that meant the world to both of them, they were certain they could conquer any challenge that was put in front of them, even if that challenge was as simple as topping arguably the best holiday either one of them have ever had.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much to anyone who reads this and gives it a chance as I try to work my way back into writing fanfiction, hopefully on a more regular basis than my first attempt over a decade ago now. Hopefully this was worth your while, and I will do my best to try and have the rest of this story finished and uploaded as quick as I can. Though, obviously not to the degree where I'm hurting myself in the process.
> 
> Also, I might as well spread the love this holiday season, so if anyone is interested in joining a chaotic yet fun Discord server revolving around The Owl House, I'd like to extend an invitation to join The Good Witch Society. There are a lot of amazing people there, and in regards specifically to fanfics you'll find some incredible authors there, including QuirkQuartz (A Valeween Night to Remember), Smoking_Gear (Luck Of The Sky), luzbian (Stumble into My Heart), DesmondKane (The Wrong Blight) and many more! If you'd ever like to join us, here's your invite: https://discord.gg/FAshTYA86J


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